


Dance The Night Away

by thornsword (eeeeeeee)



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Angst, Dancing, Established Relationship, F/M, Fluff, Gabriel Agreste's a dick, Hawkdaddy, In more ways than one, LadyNoir - Freeform, Reveal Fic, adrienette - Freeform, chloe is hella annoying
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-12-27
Updated: 2016-03-22
Packaged: 2018-05-09 19:05:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 20
Words: 30,448
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5551745
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eeeeeeee/pseuds/thornsword
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Marinette transforms one night to roam around Paris. All she wanted to do was have a bit of fun, but what she wasn't expecting was a leather-clad boy dancing with her until dawn, flirting with her in that cocky way he does and making her wonder about him more than she has before. What she wasn't expecting, was Chat Noir. Basically just ladynoir cuteness (whoops this was meant to be a oneshot) nOW WITH LOTS OF ANGST</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Dance The Night Away

**Author's Note:**

> Heyo!
> 
> So it’s been aporiximately four hours since I saw the fourth episode anD THESE TWO ARE SO CUTE WHAT THE FUKC. 
> 
> Pairing(s): Ladybug x Chat Noir
> 
> Warnings: At the time this was written, all I’d seen is four episodes of the Korean one.
> 
> Disclaimer: if I owned it I would have seen more than four episodes, now wouldn’t i?
> 
> Enjoy!

 

Marinette sighed and pushed away from her desk. 

 

“I’m done,” she whined, glaring at the maths homework, “I am so done. How can they expect anyone to be able to do this?”

 

“Calculators?” Tikki giggled at her expense. 

 

“Ha ha,” Marinette deadpanned, standing up from her chair and stretching. 

 

She moved over to her window and rested her elbows on the edge, staring out wistfully at the skyline of Paris, lit only by the stars and a few vibrant lanterns. She imagined herself running along the rooftops, twisting and gliding through the air, Chat Noir laughing as he ran next to her…

 

_Chat Noir?_ she wondered, snapping out of her stupor, _where did he come in?_

 

Shaking her head, Marinette slowly plodded away from the cool night air, stopping just before she reached her desk. Glaring at the sheets of paper determinedly in the same spot as she left them - _why_ oh _why_ couldn’t they have blown away? - she desperately looked around her room for anything she could use to distract herself. 

 

“Wanna go get some air?” Tikki asked cheekily. 

 

Marinette whirled around. “Yes please,” she sung, somewhat sheepishly. 

 

Tikki giggled. 

 

“Ladybug, _transform!”_

 

Twisting experimentally in her suit and sighing in relief at the idea of _getting some air,_ Ladybug grasped the sides of her window and launched herself out of the room, laughing jovially. 

 

Lassoing her yo-yo onto the nearest fixture, she flung herself upwards and into the sky, revelling the feeling of the wind rushing past her face. Once her feet found solid ground, she began to run. 

 

She ran over terracotta tiles and cement blocks, jumping the gaps and swinging her way around the city. 

 

Slightly out of breath, Ladybug slowed down a bit, dawdling on the rooftops and admiring the view, as she rarely got to do so when fighting the next poor person Hawk Moth took advantage of. 

 

_Honestly, you shouldn’t screw around with people’s emotions like that,_ she thought to herself frustratedly, kicking a random pebble off the edge. 

 

After a little skip, she took off again. Twisting and flipping through the air gracefully, landing softly on each tile or rooftop as she made her way across the city. _That Chat can never seemed to land on all fours like he’s meant to…_ she giggled to herself as she alighted on a balcony of what looked to be an abandoned building. 

 

She flopped down onto the dusty floor, her legs dangling through the intricate railing and over the edge. There were too many things for her too deal with right now - between her friends, her family, school and most of all keeping ladybug a secret, she felt like she was being pulled in so many directions at once that she didn’t know where to go. 

 

“It seems like great minds think alike,” a smooth voice roused her from her thoughts. 

 

“Chat,” Ladybug greeted as if she had known he was there the whole time, “on patrol?”

 

“Nah, just needed a bit of space.”

 

She looked over to the other side of the roof and saw him looking up at the moon morosely. After a moment’s deliberation, Ladybug stood and jumped over to his side. 

 

“Me too,” she agreed softly, sitting down beside him. 

 

They stared up at the sky for a while, both comforted by the other’s presence, not uttering a word. 

 

“So, what’s up with you?” Chat Noir asked, smirking and leaning back somewhat cockily. 

 

Ladybug looked over at him and smiled slightly. “Maths, for a start,” she giggled, “definitely not my strong point.”

 

“That’s why you’re all the way up here in the middle of the night?” he asked dubiously, “maths?”

 

She giggled and turned her gaze up to the moon once again. “Originally, yeah,” she told him. 

 

“I’ll have to tutor you sometime,” the leather-clad boy purred, “of course, maths isn’t the _only_ thing I’m good at.”

 

A light rouge blush crept up her neck.

 

_Why am I blushing?_ she thought, flustered, _that wasn’t even a particularly good one!_

 

“Are you… blushing?” Chat asked her curiously, moving closer to her. 

 

“Nope.”

 

“You are! I finally made you blush!” he exclaimed gleefully. 

 

Ladybug rolled her eyes and smiled good-naturedly, trying to play it off. “Shut it, Kitty,” she chuckled, pushing him playfully. 

 

He laughed and nudged her back, determined to _never_ let her forget the instant. 

 

“So why are you out here?” she asked him, changing the subject, “the big bad kitty all the way out here…”

 

Chat rolled his eyes at her nickname. “…How do you deal with it?” he inquired softly after a while, “like, having a life and keeping the whole _Ladybug_ thing a secret?”

 

“Ah,” she realised. 

 

Ladybug leant back and propped her hands behind her as she thought about her answer. 

 

“Well, I only have one friend, and I’m not really the best at school, so no one really expects me to get high grades and stuff…” she wondered aloud, “I think the only real trouble I have is when A- _my friend_ is with me, or my parents ask me to look after something.”

 

“I don’t know whether that’s good or bad,” Chat laughed. 

 

“What about you?”

 

“My dad’s hardly ever around, he’s this really stern guy - y’know, like those stoic types - and school’s pretty hectic, plus I have about _a billion_ after-school activities,” he exclaimed, turning so he could face her, “not to mention Plagg _constantly_ goes missing.”

 

Ladybug laughed slightly as he jabbed at his ring. 

 

“That really sucks,” she sympathised, placing a hand over his. 

 

“Why, my lady… are you coming onto me?” he smirked, usual bravado back in place. 

 

She shook her head frantically and retracted her hand, the tips of her ears flushing red. Looking down so he couldn’t see her face, a small giddy smile played at the corner of her lips. 

 

Chat Noir shot her a triumphant smile, not fooled for a second, before standing up. 

 

“You know what the only thing we can do is?” he asked with a voice as smooth as velvet and a hand outstretched towards her. 

 

She shook her head, raising her eyes to meet his and taking his hand. Suddenly, she was pulled up and Chat’s other hand was lightly placed on her waist. 

 

“Dance the night away, _My Lady,”_ he whispered, smirking as she blushed under her mask. 

 

Staring up at him - curse their height difference - for a moment, Ladybug sighed resignedly before putting her hand on his shoulder. 

 

Chat smiled at her and started spinning slowly, dancing to a song with no sound, a rhythm with no beat. 

 

_His eyes can’t actually look like that,_ she thought to herself, _I wonder what colour they are usually…_

 

She had never given his eyes much thought before, nor any part of his life as a normal person, but now her mind was racing - who was he? What was he like in school? Did he have a lot of friends? What kind of music did he like?

 

Just the small, simple things that people usually know about each other when they become friends. 

 

Chat Noir let go of her waist and raised her hand above her head, twirling her around. “Isn’t this funny,” he remarked offhandedly, “two superheroes wearing skin suits, dancing on the roof of an abandoned building.”

 

“I don’t think it’s _that_ strange,” she told him, falling back into the swaying rhythm, “I mean, it’s fun.”

 

“Everything I do is fun,” he smirked cockily. 

 

Ladybug laughed. “Is it just?” she drawled sarcastically. 

 

“Of course,” he purred, “otherwise you wouldn’t let me do _this.”_

 

With that, he leant in and kissed her on the cheek. 

 

“See you next time,” he chuckled, pulling away and making to jump to the next building, “My Lady.”

 

Chat Noir winked at her before running off and disappearing into the night. 

 

Ladybug was frozen dead in her tracks, a hand to her cheek and a blush painting her face. 

 

_He kissed me…_

 

At first, she felt ridiculously happy - why she had no idea - then she was confused. She liked Adrien, surely… she had his _schedule_ on her _ceiling,_ for goodness sake!

 

_But Chat Noir…_

 

Shaking her head in an attempt to dispel the thoughts, Ladybug looked out to the moon… which was going down, soon the stars and cool darkness would give way to warm orange hues and pink clouds. 

 

A stunned panic ran through her as she realised just how long she’d been up. 

 

Quickly getting out her yo-yo and swinging to the nearest building, she began to make her way home. If only she paid more attention to how far away from home was, she wouldn’t have to go all the way back…

 

_… If I hadn’t come all the way out here, Chat Noir wouldn’t have kissed me._

 

_Nope. No. Not thinking about that now. Just focus on getting home._

 

She scrambled through the window and immediately changed back into marinette.

 

“Eeeeeek!” Tikki squealed, “I can’t believe that just happened!”

 

“Neither can I,” Marinette agreed breathlessly, flopping down onto her bed tiredly, “I can’t believe I stayed up the entire night either.”

 

“Was it worth it to spend time with _Chat Noir?”_ Tikki goaded, giggling when Marinette gave an exasperated groan and half-heartedly swatted at her.

 

“Just let me sleep,” she mumbled, her voice muffled by the pillow. 

 

_“Marinette! Wake up!”_ her mother called downstairs seemingly two seconds later, _“you’ll be late to school!”_

 

Moaning, she rolled out of bed and onto the floor. _She was way too tired to do anything today._

 

“And it’s all your fault, Chat Noir,” she huffed sleepily, “what did you do to me?”

 

Her phone buzzed. 

 

_Alya:_

_Ladybug and Chat Noir were seen dancing on a rooftop last night!! There’s pics and everything!!_

 

Marinette groaned and banged her head against the floor. 

 

“Nothing is going to go well today, I can _feel_ it,” she muttered moodily. 

 

“Well you should have thought about it before you spent all night dancing with _Chat Noir,”_ Tikki giggled. 

 

_“Tikki!”_


	2. When The Masks Come Off

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marinette was tired and grumpy. She wasn’t in the mood for Alya’s fawning over last night’s pictures or any form of school… although, she still couldn’t say no to Chat Noir.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heyo!
> 
> Whelp, here it is. The part two that no one asked for not even 24 hours after I posted the first chapter. Yaaay!
> 
> Pairing(s): Ladybug x Chat Noir/ Adrien x Marinette Cheng
> 
> Word Count: 2494
> 
> Warnings: OOC-ness and I haven’t edited it so I’m sorry about that.
> 
> Disclaimer: Do you really think I could invent something as cute as those two? I thought not.
> 
> Enjoy!

 

The walk to school was painful, her eyes kept drooping closed and she almost walked onto the road once, stopped only by Tikki yelling at her from the purse to _“watch out!”_

 

“I hate this,” she mumbled glumly as the school came into her sights. 

 

Marianette sighed as she saw Alya standing out the front, her eyes glued to her phone as she rapidly thumbed the screen. 

 

“Marinette!” Alya exclaimed, “come look at this you won’t _believe_ how cute they are!”

 

“Ladybug and Chat Noir?” she exclaimed with faux enthusiasm, trying to seem like she had, in fact got enough sleep like the rest of the word. 

 

Alya nodded frantically and shoved the phone in her face. Marinette pulled her friend’s hand back slightly and, stomach sinking, she looked at the pictures. 

 

They looked to be taken from a nearby window and the quality was kind of shaky, but you could clearly depict her and Chat Noir talking on the abandoned rooftop. The next was of them dancing, as were the three after that, but the fourth… 

 

The fourth was when he kissed her on the cheek. 

 

A light blush dusting her cheeks, she pushed the phone away. 

 

“You should be squealing with me,” Alya deadpanned, “why aren’t you squealing? Oh! did you have a crush on Chat Noir as well as Adrien? I’m so sorry Marinette!”

 

Alya threw her arms around Mainette’s neck dramatically and began apologising for her loss. 

 

“I don’t have a crush on Chat Noir!” she exclaimed, “I just don’t see what the big deal is? I mean, it’s no like they’re a couple!”

 

“Yes they are!” Alya persisted, letting go of her and showing her the picture of Chat Noir kissing her cheek. Which she’d rather _not_ think about right now thankyouverymuch but hey, you can’t have everything in life. 

 

The bell rang. 

 

Marinette sighed in relief, grabbing her friend by the elbow and guiding her inside. “Thanks to you I didn’t get to see Adrien walk in today!” she frowned. 

 

“It’s okay Sweetie, you’ll have plenty of other opportunities to not talk to him,” Alya cooed, patting her on the head. 

 

Marinette blushed and released her, rushing into the classroom and pretending she did actually have the courage to speak to him. 

 

_But Chat Noir kissed you._

 

Slumping down at her desk tiredly, she rubbed the spot where his lips had touched her skin, feeling a strange residual buzzing from reliving the memory. 

 

Something yellow moved in her Peripheral vision, and she perked up just in time to see Adrien take his seat in front of her, a giddy smile on his face. 

 

_I’m glad one of us is happy at least,_ she sighed, still thinking about her dilemma. She’s liked Adrien for ages now, that’s certain…. but Chat Noir made her thrum with energy… he made her happy, and at least she knew he reciprocated whatever… _feelings_ she might discover she had for him. 

 

“What’s got you all smiley?” Nino asked curiously, “last night you told me your dad was being stupid and stressing you out heaps - what gives?”

 

“Oh… I just had a really nice dream,” he grinned. 

 

Nino leaned in conspiratorially. “Do tell,” he whispered, raising an eyebrow. 

 

“Oh… uh…” Adrien spluttered, “I… can’t remember it! Yeah, I can’t remember it.”

 

“You ain’t fooling me man,” Nino laughed, backing off, “but I don’t wanna hear about it if it’s _that_ kind of dream.”

 

Adrien sat there for a moment, gears turning in his mind. 

 

“Hey!” he exclaimed when he realised what his friend had meant, “it was not _that_ kind of dream you dirty-minded idiot!”

 

“Whatever you say,” Nino giggled, teasing him. 

 

“If you stare and sigh for much longer people are gonna catch on,” Alya whispered in Marinette’s ear.

 

Marinette straightened, feeling strange that, for the first time in forever, she wasn’t actually staring at Adrien - she was trying to figure out which boy she actually liked. 

 

The teacher walked in. “Sorry I’m late class,” he apologised, motioning for them to settle down, “if you’ll turn to page 394, we’ll begin with molecular bonds.”

 

Deciding to do what she always did with her by issues, she began scribbling down a note:

 

_Is it possible to like two people at the same time?_

 

Sliding it over to Alya, Marinette imeediatly began copying down the notes on the board, biting her lip and refusing to meet her friend’s questioning gaze. 

 

The note was slid back to her.

 

_Of course!_ she had written, _you might like one more than the other, but I remember I had crushes on like three people once._

 

Marinette sighed slightly with relief. So she _wasn’t_ going a bit crazy. She could like both of them. 

 

Although, she would rather _not_ inflate Chat’s ego and tell him that, after all his attempts, she actually liked him. 

 

… Would she?

 

———

 

“Alright, I’ve held off the questions until the end of the day,” Alya told her, “seeing if you’d tell me yourself and all, but _what_ or _who_ was that note about back in science?”

 

Marinette chuckled nervously. “N-no one… it really doesn’t matter,” she mumbled. 

 

“Not buying it,” her friend sung, looping an arms around her neck and walking towards the bakery. 

 

She sighed. “Fine, it’s just this guy that’s been pestering for a while now I guess, always flirting with me and stuff,” she admitted, careful as to what she divulged, “he’s a total idiot, really clumsy too - he never lands on his feet.”

 

Alya smirked. “Is that all you’re giving me?” she asked, “because I can tell by that goofy smile on your face that you got it _bad.”_

 

“I do not!” Marinette protested, “anyway, I’ve got to look after the shop this afternoon and I’m already late.”

 

“Alright then,” Alya smiled, pulling her into a chaste hug, “I’ll see you tomorrow!”

 

“Bye!”

 

Marinette ran across the street and unlocked the door to the bakery, sighing tiredly once she closed the door. She could believe she had made it through the entire day without drifting off. 

 

Running up to her room, she went straight over to her bed and flopped down face-first. 

 

“You really should have gotten more sleep,” Tikki giggled as she emerged from her hiding spot. 

 

“Shut up,” Marinette yawned into her pillow, “that’s what I’m trying to do now.”

 

“Then I’ll just go away and not mention the Chat Noir is trying to call you?”

 

She bolted upright. “He’s _what?”_ she asked. 

 

“Trying to call you,” Tikki repeated cheekily, “but I’m sure you need your sleep.”

 

“Ladybug _transform!”_

 

She yawned and rubbed at her eyes sleepily before opening her compact. “Chat what do you want?” she asked, “I’m tired and I want to go to sleep.”

 

“Oh? Have I caught the lady at home?” he chuckled. 

 

“Yes, you have.”

 

“Sorry about that,” he told her, cockiness fading away, “but I’m afraid we might need to talk.”

 

Ladybug sighed. “Where are you?” she inquired. 

 

“Top of the Eiffel Tower.”

 

“I’ll be there in ten minutes,” she promised, ending the call and clambering out of her window. Climbing up to her roof, Ladybug took a deep breath before taking a flying leap off the top, swinging her yo-yo out and letting the cool wind beating down on her face wake her up. 

 

She misjudged her landing on a rooftop slipped, falling onto the dusty concrete harshly. 

 

“This is why I shouldn’t try and go anywhere when I’m this tired,” she mumbled to herself before searching around fr the fastest way to get to the Eiffel Tower. 

 

“Oh My Goodness you’re Ladybug!”

 

The high-pitched squeal came from the balcony next to her, where - _just her luck, right? -_ Alya was reading a book.

 

“I-uh-yes, I… am,” she answered lamely. 

 

Alya giggled and put her book down, leaning against the railing. “Please, please tell me if you and Chat Noiir are actually a thing, because you see I have this friend that doesn’t think so but I saw those pictures, so you two aren’t fooling me and just it’s really nice to meet you again,” she babbled. 

 

Ladybug was taken aback. Marinette would mumble an apology and run off to go meet up with Chat, but Ladybug had to answer. 

 

“No, we’re not a… _thing,”_ she answered, not letting her inner turmoil of _but are we? But Adrian? But I like him too?_ show on her face or in her voice, “it was nice seeing you again, but I have to get going.”

 

With that, she turned and ran off the roof, jumping from terracotta tiles to telephone wires to chimneys. 

 

Lassoing her yo-yo around a railing in the massive tower, she launched herself upwards, landing lightly on one of the beams. She turned her head, searching for a flash of black leather, or a glint of emerald eyes, but there was nothing. 

 

“Up here, My Lady,” came a voice from above her, making her jump. 

 

Ladybug turned her gaze skywards and found Chat lying down a bit further up from where she was standing. 

 

“One day you’re going to fall,” she warned him, climbing up to the same height. 

 

He smirked as she sat down, feet dangling over the edge. “Are you worried about me?” he chuckled. 

 

“No, I just don’t want you to die,” she replied easily. 

 

“I think that’s the same thing,” he reminded her, sitting up and swinging his legs down as well, “but I’ll take it.”

 

They were silent, both knowing what they had come her to talk about, but neither wanting to make the first move. 

 

“Y’know, there’s this girl in my class,” Chat started, “she’s a total dork most of the time - easily flustered, very excitable and a really loud voice…”

 

“Sounds like you don’t exactly like her,” Ladybug giggled, taking a bold step and resting her head on his shoulder. 

 

“Quite the opposite actually, I don’t know when and I don’t know how, but I’ve grown quite fond of her,” he admitted, “which is strange, considering I liked you first.”

 

Ah. There is was. 

 

“What’s her name?” she asked softly, not quite ready to talk about the impending realisation of liking each other. 

 

“…Marinette, Marinette Cheng.”

 

She head shot up, eyes wide as she stared at him unbelievingly. “Marinette… Cheng?” she repeated, voice wavering. 

 

_How-what-who… how does he know Marinette - I mean me?_

 

Chat looked away nervously. “You know her? Oops,” he chided himself, “I’m pretty sure I just gave away my super-secret identity.”

 

Ladybug shook her head. “No, I still have no idea who you are besides _Le Chat Noir,”_ she reassured him. 

 

“In fact, I’m kind of worried you know who _I_ am,” she admitted slowly, fully aware of what she was doing. 

 

Chat looked at her with confusion, quirking his head to the side as if to say _how am I meant to know that?_

 

Ladybug sighed and, against the part of her that was screaming _what on Earth are you doing?!_ she removed her mask. 

 

“Hi, my name is Marinette Cheng. Occasionally my earrings grow black polka dots and I become Ladybug,” she introduced. 

 

She would have laughed at his incredulous expression if she hadn’t been so nervous. 

 

“And I have the same dilemma as you actually,” she continued rapidly, not letting him get a word in,“there’s this boy in my class who sits in front of me in most lessons called Adrien - you probably know who he is already in we’re in the same class and I’ve liked him for a while now, which is weird because I like you as well.”

 

Chat Noir stared at her incomprehensibly for a while, gears turning in his mind before bursting out laughing. 

 

“H-hey! You stupid cat!” Ladybug exclaimed, “I didn’t laugh at you when you told me you liked Marinette - I mean me and Ladybug - I mean, that’s also me… I just… ugh, never mind.”

 

Eyes downcast she stood up, making to jump off and go back home, but she was stopped by a hand on her ankle. 

 

“No, I’m sorry, I wasn’t laughing at you,” he chuckled, motioning for her to sit back down, “I was laughing at the absolutely _absurd_ situation we’ve found ourselves in.”

 

“What do you mean?” She asked him dubiously.

 

He took of his mask. 

 

“I _mean,”_ he continued as Ladybug’s jaw fell open and her eyes widened and _no way was this actually happening._

 

“My name is Adrien Agreste. Occasionally I bribe Plegg with cheese and I turn into Chat Noir,” he introduced in the same fashion she did. 

 

_No. Way._

 

Ladybug was frozen, sitting there on the Eiffel Tower with Adrien - Chat Noir, she didn’t know what to call him, and barely believing her eyes. 

 

The leather-clad boy in front of her smirked cockily and snapped his fingers. 

 

“Hello? Anyone home?” he goaded arrogantly. 

 

“Shut up, Chat,” she scowled, pushing his hand away before stopping, “I mean…”

 

He shrugged. “It’s fine, isn’t it?” he asked her, placing his mask back on his face, “right now, I’m Chat Noir, impossibly handsome and amazingly charming, but tomorrow I’ll be back to Adrien - the boy who’s slightly to scared to ask you out.”

 

_“You’re_ scared?” she repeated, mask back in place as well, “Marinette’s terrified to even _speak_ to you. She can’t get her words out.”

 

“Well, it’s nice to know she reciprocates his feelings at least.”

 

It was weird, talking about themselves in third person like this but she was smiling and giggling along with Chat as they conjured up what would happen if Adrien actually asked her to go with himto the Louvre sometime. 

 

“Of course, Marinette would love to, Ladybug giggled. 

 

“But I suppose she’ll just have to wait for Adrien to ask her,” Chat grinned. 

 

“I suppose she will,” she agreed impishly. 

 

He stood up and held his hand out. “But right now,” he murmured, helping her up, “how about we really give people something to take a picture of?”

 

Ladybug blushed under her mask as he smirked and pulled her in close, his arms wrapping around her middle. 

 

“Stupid Kitty,” she whispered, lacing her own arms around his neck, “Just kiss me already.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, well I like this ending a lot better. 
> 
> Hope you enjoyed that as much as I liked writing it ^__^
> 
> Who knows, maybe I’ll write another chapter,
> 
> Thornsword


	3. Love Hurts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alya fangirls, Marinette gets flustered and Chloe unwillingly gets her revenge. Little bit of blood and angst in this one.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heyo!
> 
> Ta-da! The part three that one person asked for (thank you)
> 
> Pairing(s): Ladybug x Chat Noir/ Marinette x Adrien
> 
> Word count: 3455
> 
> Warnings: OOC-ness and unedited (again) so I’m sorry about the mistakes.
> 
> Enjoy!

 

When Marinette woke up she felt like everything had been a dream. 

 

_Chat Noir was Adrien and he liked both versions of me?_ As if that would actually happen. 

 

“Marinette?” her mother called, opening the door, “are you up? School isn’t going anywhere, no matter how late you sleep in!”

 

Despite the fluttery feeling in her chest, she groaned into the pillow - _that maths homework she still hadn’t finished was due today._

 

“Are you sure,” she grumbled, her frown deepening as her mother chuckled lightly and walked back out, closing the door behind her. 

 

Marinette rolled on her side, squeaking in surprise when she fell out of the bed and onto the hard floor. 

 

“You have ten minutes to get ready, or you’ll be late,” Tikki whispered in her ear, making her jump up and run frantically around, gathering clothes and brushing her hair as quickly as she could. 

 

Haphazardly tugging odd socks on and finding her shoes, she grabbed her bag and ran downstairs, throwing a _“bye mum! Bye dad!”_ over her shoulder. 

 

When Marinette arrived at school, breathing heavily and hands on her knees as she tried to recover from the run, Tikki giggled from her purse. 

 

“You actually had half an hour to get ready,” she informed her innocently, knowing that Marinette couldn’t scold her in public. 

 

“I hate you,” she hissed out of the corner of her mouth, lamenting the few minutes she could have spent having breakfast, or sleeping, or trying to decipher if last night was just a dream or reality. 

 

“Marinette!” Alya called, waving at her from the spot near the entrance where they usually wait for Adrien to walk in so she can  pine from afar attempt to talk to him, “you’re here early.”

 

“Y-yeah,” she stammered, “I read the time wrong on my clock and I rushed here when I still had twenty minutes to spare.”

 

Aya giggled. “That’s my Marinette,” she chided affectionately, ruffling her hair, “only you would do such a thing.”

 

Marinette stuck her tongue out maturely and sat back on the low wall. 

 

_Chat Noir - Adrien - kissed me… properly, actually kissed me._

 

The memory was too vivid to be a dream, so that only left….

 

She let out a muffled squeak, covering her mouth with her hands as it hit her that _Adrien liked her and he was Chat Noir and oh wow this entire time Adrien has been flirting with her…_

 

“You okay?” Alya asked, “that was kinda like your usual _Adrien’s here_ squeak, but he’s not here.”

 

Marinette looked up at her friend, blinking owlishly. “What? yea, I’m… I’m fine,” she tried to explain flusteredly, “just… um…. did you hear the new news about Ladybug?”

 

Alya tilted her head to the side, not believing her for a second but letting it slide. “No? But speaking of, I saw her yesterday!” she exclaimed excitedly. 

 

“Yeah?” Marinette asked, already knowing what she was going to say, but grateful for the change of subject nonetheless. 

 

Nodding, Alya huffed and sat down next to her. “Mm-hm, she told me her and Chat Noir weren’t a thing, but I don’t think she told me the whole story,” she leaned in conspiratorially. “I did some digging and found a bunch of pictures of Chat Noir going toward the Eiffel Tower, which is where she went too.”

 

Marinette gaped at her friend. Her dedication scared her sometimes - heck, she knew what Ladybug was doing before _she_ did most of the time!

 

“What?” Alya asked defensively as she realised she was staring at the aubern-haired girl dubiously, “I just think they’d be a cute couple - a superhero crime-fighting duo that are secretly dating because they can’t let the villains know.”

 

Marinette opened her mouth to shoot down whatever notion her friend had about her and Chat Noir because _just because they kissed once didn’t mean they were dating,_ but whatever she was about to say died in her throat as she heard Adrien calling out her name. 

 

“Hey,” he greeted as he jogged up to the pair, “so, what we said last night wasn’t just my imagination… right?”

 

Scratching the back of his neck sheepishly and hoping he hadn’t made a total fool out of himself, Adrien stood there, staring straight at her and waiting for her answer. 

 

“Not unless we randomly had the same dream,” she told him, drawing enough confidence to talk from the fact that _he was Chat Noir - that stupid, flirtatious cat that could never land on his feet._

 

Adrien smiled widely. “Well then, would you like to accompany to the Louvre this weekend?” he smirked, falling back slightly onto the cheeky personality of the leather-clad boy she knew so well, “seeing as someone we know very well told me you’d accept, I managed to actually ask you out this time.”

 

Marinette giggled, blushing profusely. “I’d love to,” she agreed, smiling up at him secretively. 

 

“Here, put your number in,” he told her, handing his phone over, “and I’ll text you a time once I get tickets.”

 

_Aaaaahhhh aslh;angv;zdfjfbjr I can’t believe this is actually happening!_

 

“That is, if Chat Noir doesn’t decide to steal a painting again,” she teased, going back to their usual banter as Ladybug and Chat Noir, careful not to let her inner freak-out show on her face.

 

Adrien laughed. “We both know that wasn’t him,” he argued, leaning in close and pecking her on the cheek, “I’ll see you later.”

 

Blushing from the nape of her neck to the tips of her ears, Marinette waved back to him. 

 

_“What on Earth was that all about?”_ Ayla exclaimed, “yesterday you were too scared to speak _one word_ to him, and now you’re _flirting?_ And he _asked you out?_ What the hell did he mean by _last night?”_

 

“Alya, breathe!”

 

She stopped talking and glared at her friend and in that moment, Marinette knew there was no way she was getting out of this easy. 

 

“I-uhm… went for a walk… in the park, and he was there as well… so we started talking and… yeah,” she finished lamely. 

 

“And _yeah?”_ Alya repeated incredulously, “that’s all? Come _on,_ I need _details!_ What did he say? What did _you_ say? How did you manage to untie your tongue long enough to say it?”

 

Marinette fidgeted nervously with her hands. “We kind of sat down in the same place… and then he asked me why I was out so late - I told him I was having trouble with the homework and he told me he was just out getting some space then I think we talked about the moon and… and…” she had run out of ideas, “I don’t know, it’s all a bit of a blur!”

 

“Who’s the person you two know?” Alya pressed, “I mean, if he wanted to know if you liked him , he would have come to me, right?”

 

She shrugged, not knowing what to say and just opting to stay quiet. 

 

Sighing, Alya slumped forward. “My best friend finally gets asked out by the guy of her dreams and she won’t even tell me anything about it!” she exclaimed. 

 

“Sorry,” Marinette mumbled, guilt settling in the bottom of her stomach. 

 

“Ah well,” her friend shrugged, nudging her gently, “at least it actually happened, right? You’ve got a date with _Adrien Agreste_ finally.”

 

The reality of the situation hitting her like a freight train, Marinette blushed and put her head in her hands while Alya patted her back, giggling at her reaction. 

 

———

 

“Is it true?” Chloe interrogated as soon as she stepped into the classroom, “are you and Adrien going out?”

 

“W-we haven’t even gone on a date yet,” Marianette stammered. 

 

Chloe smiled snidely. “Good,” she sniffed, “before the first period’s out, I’ll make sure he goes out with _me_ and not whatever dive _you_ want to take him too.”

 

Smirking, she flicked her hair self-importantly and turned around, leaving Sabrina to smile apologetically at the pair before running after Chloe. 

 

“I don’t get why that girl follows her around,” Alya muttered, “she seems way too sweet to handle someone like that.”

 

Marinette shrugged somewhat dejectedly before taking her seat. 

 

About halfway through class, she saw Alya pass a note to Nino but when she turned a questioning stare on her friend, she just winked and turned back to the front, looking as if nothing had happened. 

 

She saw Nino whisper something to Adrien, who shivered uncomfortably and a spike of dread pierced Marinette’s stomach - _what did Alya tell him?_

 

A thousand scenarios ran through her mind - the fact that she has his _schedule_ on her _ceiling,_ or that her desktop is just pictures of his face or _worse,_ how she stole his phone to delete a message. 

 

A note was slid over the table. 

 

_Chill out, all I told him was to watch out for Chloe - Alya x_

 

Marinette sighed in relief and looked over at her friend gratefully, who smiled back at her and continued to write down her answers. 

 

As soon as the bell rang, signalling the end of the period, Chloe got out of her seat and rushed towards Adrien, Sabrina trailing desperately behind. 

 

“Hey,” she simpered up to him, pouting her lips attractively and fluttering her eyelashes delicately, “so… are you free this weekend?”

 

Adrien backed away from her slightly. “No, I’ve got a few things to do…” he told her. 

 

“Ah, but what if I asked you to come with me on my mummy’s boat party?” she tried again, moving towards him slowly. 

 

“No thanks, I’ve actually got a date with Marinette,” he refused, smiling slightly at the thought. 

 

Halfway through packing up, Marinette blushed as he told her that, still not quite believing her luck - he had just turned down _Chloe,_ for her. 

 

Smirking, Alya nudged her and she realised she had stopped moving. Glancing quickly at her friend, she looked down and quickly put away her pencil case. 

 

Chloe’s face contorted into an angry scowl as she huffed and sashayed out of the classroom, swinging her purse over her shoulder as she went, leaving a stunned silence in her wake. 

 

Adrien sat down on his desk with a sigh, running a hand through his hair in exasperation. 

 

“Hey, you okay?” Nino asked. 

 

“Yeah, I just hate having to do that to people, even if I can’t exactly help it,” Adrien replied. 

 

“Well-“

 

The door exploded, bringing a good chunk of the wall with it. 

 

A girl walked in through the wreckage triumphantly. She had long black and pink hair that was pulled into a high ponytail, knee-high pink boots, a back short skirt and a dark pink top. Her eyes were disguised with a white mask, making it almost impossible to tell who is was. 

 

Marinette and Adrien shared a grim look - _Chloe._

 

“Go! Out the windows!” the teacher instructed, running towards the glass himself before clambering outside and running away. 

 

There was a mad rush as everyone surged towards the makeshift exits, each person pushing and shoving to get out. 

 

“What’s with the hurry?” Akuma-Chloe asked mockingly, “you’ll hurt a girl’s feelings.”

 

Adrien grabbed Marinette’s hand and they carefully slipped past her while she was distracted by the panicking class. 

 

Slinging her purse over her shoulder and waving her hand over the class, all the boys slumped over before sluggishly turning around and walking towards her. 

 

“She’s brainwashed all the boys!” Marinette exclaimed as they both ran through the corridor, looking for a place to transform. 

 

Adrien cursed before stopping abruptly, causing Marinette to bump into him.

 

“Wha-“

 

“In here,” he urged, cutting her off and pulling open the door of the Janitor’s closet, “quickly.”

 

She rushed inside and closed the door behind him, pushing the lock into place. 

 

“Isn’t this cosy,” he smirked, sidling up next to her in the already cramped space. 

 

Marinette just rolled her eyes and called Tikki out. “Transform: Ladybug!” she whispered as polka dots appeared on her earrings and red meshy spandex covered her body. Twisting around, she saw that Chat Noir had also transformed. 

 

Nodding to each other, they opened the door and ran towards the classroom. 

 

“Hold it Chloe!” Ladybug exclaimed once they reached the doorway, observing the line of boys waiting outside. 

 

“My _name_ is _Lovestriker”_ the girl yelled back at her, “and I’m going to make every boy fall in love with me until I find the perfect one! Someone who won’t stupidly reject me when I’m obviously the better choice!”

 

“Then how come _I_ don’t love you?” Chat Noir smirked, trying to distract her until Ladybug could think of a plan. 

 

“That’s a good idea,” Lovestriker smirked, waving a gloved hand in his direction and Ladybug watched in horror as his eyes glowed pink and his jaw slackened, stomping slowly over to the cackling girl. 

 

“No!” she yelled, a sinking feeling in her stomach - it had been a long time since she faced an akuma without Chat Noir’s help…

 

“Oh dear, have I stolen your _precious kitty cat?”_ Lovestriker giggled maliciously, stroking Chat Noir’s cheek tenderly, “well _too bad!_ He’s mine now!”

 

Ladybug grimaced, getting into a low, defensive position. 

 

“I’m going to play with my new toy,” she announced to the line of waiting boys, “keep her busy.”

 

Gritting her teeth and reminding herself that _they were still students._ she fought them off one by one, blocking and ducking and swerving around the unskilled blows thrown her way. 

 

_Desperate times call for desperate measures,_ she thought as the next hypnotised boy came at her. 

 

“Lucky charm!”

 

A crowbar fell into her waiting hands. _What was she supposed to do with this?_ she wondered as she avoided the taller boy’s fists, _I can’t hit anybody with it!_

 

Casting it aside, she quickly incapacitated the attacker before scanning the room. 

 

_Desk? Nope._

 

_Chair? Nope._

 

_Chunks of wood? Nope._

 

_Giant pile of rubble in the corner?_

 

Her vision flashed black and red as a plan formed in her mind. 

 

Quickly shoving the next boy into the line, knocking over a few of them, she jumped up to the mound of rubble and stuck the crowbar underneath a large rock. 

 

She glanced towards the door and, seeing that they were beginning to regain their footing, she pushed upwards with all her might and the rock fell. 

 

It bounced down, disrupting other small rocks and causing them to fall down as well. When the dust finally settled, the entrance to the classroom was blocked. 

 

Ladybug sighed in relief as Lovestriker growled angrily. “Go play, my pet,” she whispered to Chat Noir, petting his hair. 

 

Chat smirked and crouched down into an animalistic attack position. Ladybug’s blood ran cold as she realised what was about to happen. 

 

_Gotta figure out what the akuma is hiding in…_ she thought as her eyes scanned over Lovestriker’s grinning form. 

 

_Something external… something Chloe would grasp or focus on when she was focusing on all that negative energy…_

 

She didn’t have time to figure it out, as Chat Noir pounced, claws outstretched. Gasping in surprise and rolling away quickly, she resorted to trying to snap him out of it. 

 

“Chat!” she yelled, trying to avoid his fast blows, “it’s me, Ladybug!”

 

“It’s no use, he can’t hear you!”

 

Scowling, she kept trying, blocking his swift punches as she went. “Chat Noir - you don’t want to do this!” she exclaimed desperately, her breathing growing laboured and her moves getting slightly sluggish, “fight it!”

 

All her yelling was falling on deaf ears. 

 

Glancing once again at Lovestriker for a clue as to where the akuma was left a blind spot in her concentration. 

 

Chat Noir took the opportunity and swiped, his sharp claws ripping through the fabric of her suit and scratching her arm, drawing blood. 

 

Ladybug winced and brought her hand up to the wound, turning her full attention back to Chat Noir… 

 

… Who wasn’t attacking her anymore. 

 

He was staring, wide-eyed at his hand, residual drops of her blood clinging to the tips of his fingers. 

 

“What are you waiting for?” Love striker screamed at him, “attack!”

 

He didn’t move. 

 

Ladybug took this opportunity to scan her for the akuma, eyes roaming over her clothes, her mask, her purse..

 

_Her purse!_

 

Running forward and grabbing the crowbar where she discarded it, she used the hooked end to snag the string and pull the purse over to her. 

 

“Attack her!” Lovestriker yelled, her voice bordering of desperate, “you love me and you’ll do as I say!”

 

Chat Noir remained still. 

 

Ladybug smiled. _This was the easy part,_ she thought to herself as she snapped the purse over her knee. 

 

“Come out, you vile insect!” she commanded, yo-yo at the ready. 

 

The purple butterfly fluttered out of the broken handbag slowly, and she opened her compact. 

 

“This is it for you, akuma!” she called triumphantly and snapped up the creature, “time to erase evil!”

 

“Gotcha,” she smiled, letting it out a moment later as a beautiful white butterfly. 

 

Lovestriker scowled and stomped her foot in rage as she realised what Ladybug had done. 

 

_“Mysterious Erasing Light!”_

 

The door rearranged itself and the wall fit back into place, the hypnotised students shook their heads in confusion as they looked around and tried to figure out what happened. 

 

The pink light faded from Chat Noir’s eyes but he still didn’t move. 

 

Lovestriker changed back into Chloe and Ladybug nervously approached her, purse in hand. 

 

“Y’know, sometimes it’s better to let someone fall in love with you naturally, rather than waiting around impatiently for someone to love you back, or trying to make everyone love you,” she murmured, handing the bag back to her, “because no one can make everyone love them, no matter how perfect they are.”

 

“Oh, what would you know about unrequited love?” Chloe scowled up at her, snatching the bag back and tears welling up in her eyes. 

 

“Quite a bit, actually,” Ladybug replied complacently, not moving to stop her when she got up and fled the room. 

 

Sighing, she made her way to the middle of the now empty classroom. “Hey, Chat, come on,” she muttered, “we have to go before our transformations run out.”

 

Chat Noir looked up slowly, his gaze locked on her injured arm. 

 

Ladybug followed his stare and covered up the wound with her hand. “I’m fine, it doesn’t even hurt,” she told him confidently, realising the reason for his frozen state. 

 

“There’s blood… on my claws,” he whispered hoarsely, “your blood.”

 

She sighed and took his hands in hers. “You were hypnotised, you didn’t know what you were doing,” she insisted. 

 

“I’m… _I’m so, so sorry.”_

 

After wiping the small droplets of blood of his hands, she wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him in close. “I forgive you,” she murmured into his hair. 

 

A pair of arms slowly looped around her middle, touching her like she was made out of glass. 

 

“Chat… Adrien,” she breathed, pulling away and cupping his cheek, _“I’m fine,_ I get a worse scrape than this learning how to ride a bicycle.”

 

The corners of his lips quirking upwards, Chat’s grip around her waist grew more solid. “Can I kiss it better?” he smirked. 

 

“There’s the Chat Noir I know,” Ladybug smiled, “and no, you can’t.”

 

Pouting, he trapped her in his arms. “Would the lady prefer me to kiss her somewhere else?” he asked cockily - it was clear he wasn’t letting her go until she complied. 

 

“I don’t know…” she giggled, playing along shyly. 

 

Chat smirked, before leaning in and pressing his lips to hers. Ladybug immediately move her hands to the nape of his neck, brushing one through his messy hair. 

 

Small fireworks exploded behind her eyelids and she vaguely wondered if this is what it would always feel like when she kissed him - soft and loving and the feeling of some unnamable emotionrising in her chest. 

 

Shocked out of the moment by the blinking of the last dot on her earring, Ladybug pulled away. “Let’s go back before we transform out in the open,” she suggested breathlessly, taking his hand and running back out into the empty hallway. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well that was kinda shit. 
> 
> I’m sorry. 
> 
> Anyway, please tell me if you liked… any of this, and who knows? Maybe inspiration will strike again and it’ll be updated.
> 
> As always,
> 
> Thornsword.


	4. The Louvre

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marinette finally gets a date with Adrien, and it’s every bit as perfect as she hoped… if only Hawk Moth could lay off the attacks for one day. That’s all she asks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heyo!
> 
> So this is the part 4 that… quite a few people asked for actually, which I’m still surprised about. 
> 
> Pairing(s): Marinette x Adrien/ Ladybug x Chat Noir
> 
> Word count: 1763
> 
> Warnings: OOC + unedited… also it’s 4:33 am
> 
> Disclaimer: If I owned them, why would I writing cruddy fanfiction?
> 
> Enjoy!

Marinette scowled, looking between her two choices carefully. 

 

She had spent the last two hours rummaging through her closet and narrowing down what was best to wear on a first date. 

 

_She was going on a date. With Adrien. To the louvre._

 

Shutting her eyes tight and flailing her arms momentarily, she flopped onto her bed and let out a small squeal. 

 

Once she had calmed down - or as close as she could get in this situation - Marinette realised her original problem was still there.

 

Did she wear the dark blue summer dress, red flats and a small necklace?

 

Or did she wear the denim shorts, white shirt, blue cardigan and black shoes?

 

Digging through her schoolbag for her phone, she called Alya. “Hey,” her friend greeted, “what’s up? Did he cancel? Are you having cold feet? What’s the crisis?”

 

“Alya, calm down!” she exclaimed, “no one cancelled on anyone, I just need your help deciding what to wear.”

 

“Oh,” she chirped, “that I can do.”

 

She faced her camera to the two options. “Just go with whatever you feel like,” Alya told her helpfully.

 

Marinette glared at her through the screen. 

 

“I’m kidding, I’m kidding,” she laughed, “go with the dress, but ditch the necklace and put on a white cardigan - also, seeing as you’re going to the museum, either that dress has to have pockets or you gotta bring a bag. ”

 

“The dress has pockets.”

 

“It’s all good then, _have fun,”_ she sang, smirking as her friend’s cheeks turned bright red. 

 

“ _Bye_ Alya,” Marinette sighed, disconnecting the call. 

 

_Right then,_ she thought, grabbing the dress and collecting a white cardigan from her wardrobe, _time to get ready._

 

After much deliberation, she decided to leave her hair in twin ponytails as usual and, following Alya’s advice, put the necklace back on the stand. 

 

She stood in front of the full-length mirror, smiling at her reflection. 

 

_You’re going on a date with Adrien._

 

_You’re going on a date with Chat Noir._

 

The thoughts bubbled into her head uncontrollably and her face split in a lovestruck smile, a squeal dying in her throat as she danced around her room, twirling and letting her dress billow up around her as she moved. 

 

_“Marinette!”_ her mother called, _“there’s someone here to see you!”_

 

Surprised, the previously graceful girl tripped and fell flat on her face as she was jerked out of her daydream. 

 

“C-coming mum!” she yelled back, rubbing her sore cheek. 

 

Hastily checking herself one last time in the mirror, Marinette realised she had almost forgotten to bring her purse. 

 

_That would have been odd if something decided to attack,_ she wondered, _Chat Noir fighting whatever it was alone while Marinette runs back to transform._

 

A shiver of dread ran down her spine. _Please nothing attack today, just let me enjoy my date please,_ she mentally begged. 

 

After slinging her purse over her shoulder and motioning for Tikki to get inside, she ran downstairs and into the bakery where, sure enough, Adrien was waiting for her. 

 

She stopped dead in her tracks. 

 

He was wearing what seemed like ordinary clothes, _but the way the sunlight caught on his hair and that cute little smile and-_

 

“So, Marinette,” her dad started, “who’s this?”

 

She gulped, realising he had cottoned on to the situation. “Mum, dad, this is Adrien,” she introduced, not wanting the confrontation to last long. 

 

“I see, and Adrien…” her mother commented entirely too innocently, “what are your intentions with my daughter?”

 

_Not good. Mayday mayday get the hell outta there._

 

Adrien opened his mouth to respond, but she cut him off. “Well this has been a really nice chat but we have to be going now,” she announced, slightly apologetically. 

 

He looked at her in confusion but she just grabbed his hand and ran out of the shop. 

 

“What was that all about?” he asked. 

 

“We would have been there for _hours_ until my mother deemed you fit to ask me out,” Marinette huffed, not realising she was still holding his hand as they walked. 

 

Adrien chuckled. “If you say so,” he complied, before looking down and realising their hands were still joined. 

 

She followed his gaze and let go as soon as she saw what he was looking at. “Oh uh-I’m sorry I was just trying to… get away… quickly,” she flushed. 

 

“It’s fine,” he told her, taking her hand in his again, “I kinda liked it.”

 

Marinette blushed and smiled shyly at him, stepping slightly closer to him as they continued down the street. 

 

They fell into each other’s pace, talking aimlessly about the new shop that opened, or _you never did help me with that maths homework_ to _where did you learn how to dance?_

 

Marinette giggled as they shared amusing stories the Chat Noir personality she knew so well bleeding through every so often with a flirtatious comment and _why the hell couldn’t she stop blushing._

 

When they arrived at the Louvre, her heart sank as she stared at the long queue. 

 

“Hey, it’s okay,” Adrien murmured, “I got tickets, remember?”

 

“Your foresight astounds me,” she drawled, giggling as he stuck his tongue out. 

 

“It’s not exactly a secret that it gets pretty packed in there,” he told her, “haven’t you been before?”

 

She shook her head. “Not unless I was trying to save you from being wrongfully captured,” she explained.

 

“Ah well,” Adrien smirked, “I’m glad I get to witness your first civilian experience.”

 

She nudged him with her shoulder playfully as he went up to the desk reading _‘pre-paid tickets.’_

 

Marinette looked around, reading the small pieces of text that decorated the walls as Adrien talked to the man, who looked like he was so done with his job he might just fall asleep. 

 

She felt a small tugging on her hand as Adrien lead her inside. 

 

“Wow!” she sighed, gazing around at the high ceiling, ornate decorations and various works of art, “I never realised how pretty it was.”

 

She turned around to face Adrien, only to find that he was staring at her with glazed eyes and a gentle smile. 

 

“What?” she asked softly. 

 

He shrugged. “You’re more beautiful than all of these paintings, My Lady,” he complimented off-handedly and continued walking into the museum. 

 

_Adrian Agreste,_ Marinette thought to herself, _you’ll be the death of me._

 

They made their way around, pausing to look at each painting or sculpture. “Everything in here is so good,” she sighed wistfully, “how did he even find the time to paint something that big?”

 

She was staring at an image of what looked like a battlefield post-war, and it was around twice her height. 

 

“His job was literally to paint all day,” Adrien smiled, laughing at her deadpan look, as if to say _you know what I mean._

 

“When I was little my dad took me here,” he began, lips curling into a melancholic smile, “and as soon as we got back home I scribbled on a piece of paper with crayons and told him it was going to be displayed in the Louvre in fifty years.”

 

Marinette giggled. “You sounded like such a cute kid,” she gushed, imagining a tiny Adrien who wanted to be an artist. 

 

“I like to think I’m still cute,” he huffed at her.

 

She smiled and ruffled his hair, despite his protests. “Awwe, you’re still cute,” she cooed, laughing as he glared at her from underneath dishevelled locks of blond hair. 

 

“I hate you,” he scowled playfully, attempting to fix his hair. 

 

Bursting into a fit of giggles, Marinette kissed him on the cheek in a spur-of-the-moment decision and skipped off to the next painting. 

 

He rushed after her, chuckling as he caught her from behind, hugging her tightly. “You missed, _Dear Marinette,”_ he smirked cockily as he saw the tips of her ears flush red. 

 

She quickly ducked out of his arms. 

 

“I’m afraid you’ll have to be better than that if you want a proper one,” she teased, a light rouge colour seemingly permanently dusted across her cheeks. 

 

Laughing, he just grabbed her hand once again and continued around the exhibition, pointing out various details and spouting flirtatious remarks. 

 

“Aphrodite herself couldn’t compare to you,” he whispered as they stopped at _The Birth Of Venus._

 

Marinette playfully pushed him away. “You just keep getting cheesier with every one, don’t you?” she giggled. 

 

“I try,” he shrugged, swinging their hands between them as they walked around, opting to avoid the extremely large crowd next to the Mona Lisa. Mainly because she couldn’t stop giggling about Copycat, and Adrien’s mood sobered as he remembered the lengths that one person went to because he loved Ladybug. 

 

When they reached the end, Marinette was buzzing with excitement because everything seemed so cool, and Adrien had made her laugh until her sides hurt. She turned towards him smiling and she immediately felt a pair of soft lips against her own. 

 

Just when she had begun to kiss back, eyes fluttering shut, he pulled away. 

 

“You’ll have to be more alert if you want a proper one,” he winked as he drew his arms away from her shoulders and joined their hands together again. 

 

“Meanie,” she mock-scolded through stifled laughter, squeezing his hand companionably. 

 

He shrugged. “I know a nice cafe around here if you’re hungry,” he suggested with practiced nonchalance. 

 

“I would like that,” she agreed softly. 

 

Adrien smiled widely as he lead her over to a cute little coffeeshop. Just when they had taken their seats outside and picked up the menus, people started screaming. 

 

_“My pet’s gone!”_

 

_“Mine too! She just disappeared!”_

 

There was the sound of a child bursting into tears. 

 

_“Where’s Ladybug and Chat Noir?!”_

 

They shared an exasperated glance and got up from the table, Marinette darting into an alleyway and pulling Adrien behind her. 

 

_Here we go again._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, so that was okay. I’m happy with that. 
> 
> Please tell me what you thought and I’m sorry if there are any mistakes ^__^
> 
> As always, 
> 
> Thornsword


	5. Picture Perfect

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The prompt was originally ‘Alya fangirling over pictures she undoubtedly took of Ladybug and Chat Noir kissing in the classroom’ but it got… a little bit… out of hand… Adrien/Chat Noir centric this time ;)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heyo!
> 
> PART 5 WOOP WOOP
> 
> I need to get a life.
> 
> Pairing(s): Adrien x Marinette/Chat Noir x Ladybug
> 
> Word count: 2303
> 
> Warnings: OOC, unedited, you know the drill
> 
> Disclaimer: noooooooooooope
> 
> Enjoy!

Marinette was just finishing off her lunch when she got the call. Hastily spooning the rest of her cereal into her mouth, she thanked her mum and ran upstairs, taking her phone out of her pocket as she went. 

 

“Hello?” she answered, somewhat breathlessly. 

 

_“Have you seen the pictures?”_ Adrien asked her immediately. 

 

Marinette shook her head confusedly. _Did he mean his new modelling ones? Or maybe the one of Ladybug and Chat Noir in the newspaper?_ she wondered, casting the thoughts aside as soon as they popped into her head - his voice was wavering, like he was worried about something. 

 

_“Look up ‘Ladybug and Chat Noir’ and they’ll probably be the first ones that come up,”_ he sighed. 

 

Frowning, she walked over to her computer, angling her phone away from the desktop so he couldn’t see her screensaver - she _really_ needed to change that before he realised what it was - and typed up what he told her to. 

 

“It’s loading,” she told him, “the internet’s kinda rubbish today…”

 

Trailing off as the search results showed up, Marinette’s jaw dropped open in surprise. 

 

It was them. 

 

Chat Noir and Ladybug. 

 

In the classroom. 

 

_Kissing._

 

“Oh that’s not good,” she murmured once she reeled back from the shock, “that’s not good at all.”

 

_“I know - what if Hawk Moth sees them?”_ he panicked. 

 

“He probably has already,” Marinette sighed, leaning back in her chair, “what are we going to do?”

 

Adrien shrugged helplessly. _“Pretend it didn’t happen and just keep pretending we aren’t together in front of people?”_ he suggested, knowing nothing good could ever come out of Hawk Moth using their relationship to his advantage, as he surely would.

 

She nodded, half-heartedly scrolling through what people are saying about it. “A load of people are saying it’s an edit, or a drawing so maybe…” she glanced at him nervously, “maybe it’ll be fine?”

 

After staring at him dubiously for a moment, she decided to believe in his - quite possibly hopelessly naive - optimism. 

 

“Ah…” he started just as Marinette was about to disconnect the call, “it’s _Ladybug_ and _Chat Noir_ who are pretending, right? Not… y’know, us?”

 

Blushing and giggling at his awkwardly uncertain question, she nodded. “Just Ladybug and Chat Noir,” she agreed softly. 

 

Adrien smiled at her. “I guess I’ll see you tomorrow then, “ he told her, _“My Lady.”_

 

The call ended and Marinette sat in her desk chair for a few seconds before smiling giddily and squealing softly, as to not alarm her parents. 

 

———

 

Monday morning for her stared with a phone call. 

 

From Alya. 

 

At _six-thirty in the morning._

 

Marinettee groaned and thrust her hand out of her warm duvet, groping around her nightstand for her phone. 

 

“Whaddya wan’ Alya….” she slurred, not caring how understandable her words were because she didn’t have to be up for another hour and a half and _why on Earth would anyone call her at this time?_

 

“Stop your groaning Mari, I left you alone the entire weekend and it is officially morning,” Alya told her, seemingly bursting at the seams with excitement. 

 

“It’s _too early,”_ Marinette retorted sleepily, “what’s so urgent that it couldn’t wait until I got to school?”

 

Bringing her phone up to her face, she saw her friend had already gotten dressed and was sitting on her balcony.

 

“You’ve seen them right? The pictures I posted? The ones of Ladybug and Chat Noir that might or might not have gone viral.”

 

Marinette’s blood ran cold. _“You_ posted those pictures?” she asked disbelievingly. 

 

“Yes!” she giggled, “well at least I know you don’t live _completely_ under an Adrien-filled rock.”

 

She couldn’t believe her ears. Yes she knew her friend was a bit of a Ladybug fangirl and she _realised_ that Alya _couldn’t have known_ that she really didn’t what the world to know her and Chat Noir were together, but she couldn’t help feeling a bit frustrated. 

 

It was getting increasingly harder to separate Marinette’s life from Ladybug’s.

 

“…and they looked so adorable… Mari are you even listening to me?” her friend asked. 

 

“Alya, I love you but I’m too tired to think straight right now,” she grumbled. 

 

Her friend smiled sheepishly. “Oops,” she muttered, “I’ll let you get back to sleep.”

 

When Marinette _did_ eventually arrive at school, she was immediately pounced on by her aubern-haired friend.

 

“Adrien just smiled at you as he saw you walking,” she giggled, “something tells me the date went well then.”

 

A blush crept up Marinette’s neck and she nodded. 

 

Alya took her hand and pulled her to the low wall. “Do tell,” she smirked, gesturing for her to sit down next to her. 

 

They spent the next twenty minutes giggling because _he said what?!_ and squealing because _oh my goodness he kissed you! And you didn’t completely faint on the spot?_

 

As soon as they entered the classroom, Alya walked up to Arien menacingly. “If you hurt Marinette…” she threatened, eyes narrowing and leaving the statement open. 

 

“I’d never,” Adrien told her, smiling nervously. 

 

Alya’s lips curled into a sickeningly sweet smile. “Just so we’re clear,” she chirped, taking her seat. 

 

Marinette almost burst into giggles, and, glancing apologetically at Adrien as she walked past, took her seat as well. 

 

“Did you see those fake pictures of Ladybug and Chat Noir?” a voiced piped up from across the room.

 

_“Fake?”_ Alya spluttered. 

 

He nodded. “Of course they were faked, Ladybug would never lower herself for the likes of _him,”_ he sneered, scrolling through his phone. 

 

Adrien scowled. 

 

Marinette’s eyes widened as she recognised who was speaking.

 

“I actually have a total of fifty-six selfies with her,” he smirked, proudly displaying them, flicking through the folder, “she always seems to be in the same area as me… not that I’m saying anything, of course.”

 

His voice made it apparent the _most certainly was_ saying something. 

 

She put her head in her hands. Every _single_ time something happened, he seemed to be there asking for a picture or an autograph or something. Quite a few times she’s had to carry him out of the way so he wouldn’t get hurt.

 

Adrien’s frown deepened. “Oh yeah? You think _you_ have a chance with her?” he asked somewhat defensively. 

 

“I never said anything like that,” he sniggered, “but now that you mention it…”

 

When it looked like he was about to go over there , Marinette coughed sharply. _Leave it,_ she mouthed when he looked at her. 

 

He crossed his arms moodily, knowing that if he said or did anything to against him it would look strange, considering he already had a girlfriend. 

 

Adrien thought he would find it a lot easer to _leave it_ if the boy would just _shut up about him and Ladybug already._

 

“Hey man, are you okay?” Nino asked him after school, “you’ve been kinda upset the entire day.”

 

“I’m fine,” he sighed, “just one of those days, you know?”

 

Nino nodded sympathetically. “Well, I hope you feel better,” he remarked, patting him on the shoulder briefly before parting ways. 

 

Adrien sighed. _Just_ when it seemed like everything was working in his favour for a change, something like that had to go and happen. 

 

A silly smile twitched at the corner of his lips as he thought about the past couple of days - _he had a girlfriend,_ and not only that, but _Marinette turned out to be Ladybug._

 

He shook his head, trying to get rid of those thoughts as he pressed the buzzer outside his house, waiting to be let in so he could have his usual terse exchange with his father. 

 

“How was school?” came the stern voice as soon as he set foot inside. 

 

“It was fine,” he replied cooly. 

 

_School was anything_ but _fine,_ he thought to himself, _I got threatened by Marinette’s best friend even though I would never dream of hurting her, some kid was talking about Ladybug like she barely deserved to lick his boots and I’m pretty sure I failed the pop quiz in history but sure dad, thanks for asking._

 

“How are your studies going?”

 

“Good.”

 

“Make sure you do your homework.”

 

“I will dad.”

 

And that was it. Every afternoon it was the same. 

 

Huffing, Adrien retreated up to his bedroom. After reaching into his bags and pulling out his books, he just stared at the open pages of homework he _really didn’t want to do._

 

He glanced out the window. 

 

“Plagg, we’re going out!” he called. 

 

When he didn’t get a response, Adrien opened his lunch box and got out a leftover piece of cheese. “Oh well,” he remarked loudly, “seeing as this room is obviously empty and Plagg is nowhere in sight, I’ll just have to finish this-“

 

He was cut off as a black blob came out from under his bed and headed for his hand. 

 

“Transform: Chat Noir!”

 

Knowing that he wouldn’t checked up on until it was dinner time, he walked out onto the balcony and jumped off landing lightly on rooftops before leaping straight off them. 

 

_And she says I don’t land on my feet,_ he scoffed mentally as he made his way to the abandoned building they had used as a ballroom. 

 

Once he arrived, Chat immediately flopped down in the middle of the flat roof and stared up at the sky, thinking about everything and nothing. 

 

He wasn’t sure how long he stayed there, only that he knew black probably wasn’t the best colour to wear on a hot day and it might be a good idea to get out of the sun, but he couldn’t be bothered to move. 

 

“I thought I might find you here.”

 

Surprised, he turned around so he was laying on his stomach, staring wide-eyed at Ladybug, who was smiling at him softly. 

 

“Nice to see you in black spots again, _Ladybug,”_ he replied, smirking slightly. 

 

She giggled and sat down beside him. “Nice to see you grinning again _Chat,”_ she commented, “you seemed kinda upset in school today.”

 

“It was nothing, just a pop quiz that I’m pretty sure I failed.”

 

Ladybug raised and eyebrow, not believing him for a second but letting it slide nonetheless. 

 

They were silent, listening to the bustle of the city at peak hour, finger linked together loosely on the floor. Chat smiled down at their joined hands before tugging slightly and letting her fall back on his chest in surprise. 

 

“Well hello there,” he murmured cheekily. 

 

“I hate you,” she huffed, glaring up at him but not making an attempt to move. 

 

He smirked. “If you hated me, would you let me do _this?”_ he asked, kissing her lightly on the forehead. 

 

“I guess I mustn’t dislike you as much as I originally thought,” Ladybug told him mock-thoughtfully. 

 

He chuckled and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her small form close. 

 

“… How could you stand hearing that guy talk about you like that?” he questioned somewhat bitterly after a while. 

 

She placed a hand on his arm. “I guess I just tried to ignore it as best as I could, but I _so desperately_ wanted to transform in front of him and watch him squirm as he tried to take back what he just said,” she mused, sighing wistfully. 

 

“Just saying, I would have been completely on board with that plan,” he told her, resting his chin on her head, “he really bugged me.”

 

“I think that’s an understatement,” Ladybug giggled as she wiggled out of his hold and stood up, offering a hand out. 

 

Chat Noir took it gratefully, stretching as he rose up. 

 

“I didn’t realise how long I’d been lying there,” he yawned. 

 

She smiled. “Hey Chat,” she started, “remember last Wednesday when you _oh-so-boldly_ slow danced with me?”

 

He smirked cockily, usual bravado sotting back into place. “Of course I do _My Lady,”_ replied smoothly, “you’re face was bright red the entire time.”

 

“It was not!”

 

“Yes it was,” he sung, teasing her. 

 

“How would you even- it’s beside the point,” she brushed away, “all I’m saying is that _next time_ you feel the urge to transform in front of someone because you’re jealous-“

 

“I _was not_ jealous!”

 

_“Next time you feel the urge to transform in front of someone because you’re jealous,”_ she reiterated, taking a step forwards andlooping her arms around his neck, “just think about how I’m _very much not theirs_ and they’ll never come as close to annoying me as much as you do.”

 

Chat chuckled. “I don’t know if that’s a good thing or a bad thing,” he told her, a smile quirking at the corner of his lips. 

 

“I’m still deciding.”

 

He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her in so their noses were touching. “Seeing as you’re _ver much not theirs,_ does that make you mine?” he asked, smirking as she blushed at the contact. 

 

“I don’t know, does it?” she replied. 

 

Chat Noir leaned down and kissed her deeply, shivering as her fingertips played with his hair. 

 

“Nope,” he remarked somewhat breathlessly, “I think _that_ makes you mine.”

 

_Who knows,_ he thought as Ladybug’s face turned bright red, _maybe those pictures were a good thing._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, well that spiralled off a bit.
> 
> Oh well.
> 
> Please tell me your opinions and if you’ve got any prompts for part 6 you are most certainly welcome to drop them my way!
> 
> As always,
> 
> Thornsword.


	6. These Battle Scars

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marinett’s been acting odd recently… it’s the middle of Summer, and she’s wearing scarves and sweaters! Something is definitely up, and Adrien’s going to find out what. This takes place a week after the last chapter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heyo!
> 
> Here, finally, is part six ^__^
> 
> Pairing(s): Marinette x Adrien/Ladybug x Chat Noir
> 
> Word count: 1817
> 
> Warnings: As usual, everybody’s out of character and nothing you’re about to read has been edited.
> 
> Disclaimer: Literally name your price
> 
> Enjoy!

Adrien’s noticed something odd about Marinette lately.

 

Usually, she would come to school in light, breezy outfits - shorts, shirts, dresses - but recently she never leaves home without a scarf and long sleeves, bundling up like it was snowing outside while Adrien felt like he was dying of heatstroke just _looking_ at her. 

 

He stood outside the school, half-listening to Nino and anxiously waiting for her. In fact, he almost missed her because she had now added a long pair of jeans to the scarf-and-sweater situation. 

 

Something was definitely up, and he was going to find out what. 

 

Marinette waved happily to him as she walked past, arms linked with Alya who was chattering expressively just out of earshot. 

 

“Hey, do you now if something’s up with Marinette?” he asked Nino, cutting of the story he was telling that was no doubt fascinating. 

 

“Marinette?” Nino repeated in confusion, “no, I don’t think so - but why are you asking me? She’s _your_ girlfriend.”

 

Adrien nodded distractedly. “I’m sorry, what were you saying before?” he asked, trying to cast the subject out of his mind and focus on his friend. 

 

There was still something niggling at the back of his mind - _what was he missing?_

 

As they walked into the classroom, he quickly glanced at Marinette and a spike of worry ran through him. Her face was abnormally red and her forehead was beaded with sweat and _would you please just take some of that off it’s the middle of Summer._

 

Sighing, he took his seat. _I am probably not going to get a thing done and it’s going to be all your fault Marinette,_ he thought frowning slightly. 

 

It was about halfway through the lesson when Nino leaned over to him. “Are you actually gonna copy down any of this?” he asked, “all you’ve got is squiggles and polka dots.”

 

Adrien lifted his head abruptly, brought out of his hazy stupor. “Oh I… guess I was daydreaming,” he chuckled somewhat awkwardly, internally panicking when he saw how much he had missed. 

 

“Hey it’s cool, I can send you these later if you want?” Nino proposed. 

 

He nodded, smiling gratefully - his father had noticed the slight drop in his grades from spending so much time with his friends  and Ladybug, not to mention being Chat Noir, and was beginning to suspect something. 

 

When his father suspected something about his social life, it was never good. 

 

Ever. 

 

Shaking his head and picking up his pen, Adrien tried to concentrate on the work being put up on the board _which would be a lot easier if Marinette would stop breathing so heavily behind him from being overheated._

 

Pen poised about the page, he cast out all surrounding noise and looked up at what the teacher was writing before quickly scribbling it down, cursing himself for not paying attention. 

 

When everyone was going back for lunch, Adrien quickly caught Marinette by the crook of her elbow and tugged her to an empty corridor. 

 

“Adrien?” she asked, red-faced and confused, “what’s wrong?”

 

“You, for a start,” he told her. 

 

Marinette quirked her head to the side in a bird-like manner. 

 

“Why are you layering up like this?” he elaborated, “it’s the middle of Summer and you’ve gone red in the face.”

 

Her eyes widened. “It’s… uh… it’s nothing!” she stammered, looking everywhere but his eyes, “I caught a cold…”

 

“In Summer.”

 

She nodded. 

 

Adrien sighed morosely and moved his grip from her forearm down to hold her hand. “I really wish you’d tell me what was wrong, but if you don’t that’s ok,” he murmured, “I’m not gonna push.”

 

He quickly kissed her cheek and walked past, rushing so he would actually have enough time to eat his lunch by the time he got home. 

 

As soon as Marinette felt him brush his lips delicately on her cheek, the guilt set in. 

 

She _knew_ it was stupid and she _knew_ he wouldn’t care but just the realisation of it a couple of days ago still shocked her. 

 

She had been sitting at the table in her pyjamas, eating her breakfast when her mother traced a finger lightly down her shoulder, making her shiver. 

 

“Mum?” she asked. 

 

“You’ve got a scar there,” her mother had muttered confusedly, “which is strange, considering I can’t remember where it came from.”

 

A shiver of dread ran down Marinette’s spine and apprehension washed over her like a cold shower. 

 

_She_ could remember where the scar was from. 

 

It was where Chat Noir had scratched her in the classroom what seemed like ages ago. 

 

“O-oh?” she had stammered, “I’ve never even noticed it before.”

 

Marinette was a bad liar, and she knew she was a bad liar, which is why she was so surprised when her mother had just shrugged and walked off. 

 

After quickly scoffing down the rest of her meal, she ran upstairs and took her shirt off, staring at herself in the mirror with horror at the myriad of little nicks and scars she had accumulated. 

 

She had never realised. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

That’s where the scarf came in. There was a particularly long one right on her collarbone - not noticeable unless you were looking for it really - and she had rushed around in a panic trying to find something to cover it with before she went to school. 

 

Each afternoon since then, she had stood in front of that mirror and stared at the white lines and raised flesh, mouth agape and disbelieving. 

 

After the scarf was the sweater, then the jeans, and soon enough it was like a sauna in all her layers. 

 

She kept brushing off people’s questions with the _I’ve got a cold_ excuse, but the moment Adrien had seen through her, she felt horrible about lying to him. 

 

Like she said, it was stupid and she really didn’t know why she was doing this, but seeing those markings on her body reminded of how abnormal she really was - after all, what kind of ordinary teenager transforms into a skin-suit-wearing, yo-yo-swinging ladybug superhero that stops the baddies with the help of her boyfriend _Chat Noir?_

 

Sighing, Marinette made her way home, looking forward to the air conditioning in her room and the sanctuary of just wearing shorts and a tank top for a while. 

 

It was the end of school when she finally gathered up the courage to invite Adrien over, the terse smile she threw him conveying she was about to tell him something she might regret later. 

 

After greeting her parents briefly, and telling them that Adrien would be coming over for a bit so they could study for a group project - does fighting akumas together count as a group project? - they made their way upstairs. 

 

Breathing a sigh of relief as she remembered yesterday to get rid of all - _most-_ of the Adrien-themed things in her room that may borderline on creepy, she opened the door. 

 

“Never thought I’d actually get to see Ladybug’s room,” he smirked as he put his bag next to hers. 

 

“Um, yeah… about that,” she started nervously, peeling off her scarf and removing her jumper. 

 

She took his hand and they sat down in the corner of her room, backs pressing against the wall. Adrien squeezed her hand comfortingly as she cleared her throat hesitantly.

 

“My mum pointed out the other day that I have scars everywhere,” she started, rubbing her arms self-consciously, “y’know, from all the fighting… I never even noticed them before, but when I went up here and looked in the mirror… I don’t know, I just became, like, hyper-aware that they were there, and that no one normal would have it and it sounds really stupid when I say it out loud.”

 

Adrien shook his head and placed an arm around her, bringing her in close. “It’s not stupid,” he murmured, “if it’s really affecting you this much.”

 

“I don’t know what it is,” she sighed, resting her head on his shoulder, “I mean, I normally don’t care about this stuff.”

 

He was silent, not knowing quite what to say. 

 

“They don’t make you any less beautiful _My Lady,”_ he whispered in her ear, resorting to the quick-witted flirtatious remarks he associated with Chat Noir. 

 

Marinette blushed and giggled slightly. 

 

“And just because you have scars on your body, doesn’t mean you’re any less ordinary,” he continued, “Marinette is a perfectly normal teenager - a cute one, granted, but a normal teenager. Ladybug is a demon-butterfly-fighting superhero who _has her own statue.”_

 

She had never really considered them as two completely separate people before - it was always either Marinette, but ready to become Ladybug at any moment, or Ladybug, running away before she transformed back into Marinette. 

 

Smiling, she lightly traced the scar on her collarbone. Marinette _was_ a perfectly ordinary teenager, and Ladybug was a perfectly _extra_ ordinary superhero. Those two parts of her didn’t have to clash. 

 

“Thank you,” she whispered into the tranquil silence of her room, the bustle of the road outside streaming in through the window and a little bubble of their own world surrounding the pair. 

 

“If it makes you feel better _My Lady,”_ Adrien smirked, lifting her face up so she was staring at him straight in the eyes, “I can kiss every single one better for you?”

 

Marinette closed her eyes and turned away from her grinning boyfriend, her face bright red. “Why do you keep saying those things?” she asked him flusteredly. 

 

“Because your reactions are so adorable,” he laughed, hugging her close. 

 

She turned back to face him. “You’re a meanie,” she pouted, before placing a hand on his collar and bringing him into a kiss. 

 

Adrien made a noise of surprise, before smiling against her lips and wrapping his other arm around her. They were so caught up in each other that they didn’t hear the door opening, or her mother’s startled gasp. 

 

They really, _really_ should have heard the door opening. 

 

“Marinette!”

 

They pulled apart suddenly, turning to face the shocked cry. 

 

“M-mum?” Marinette stuttered nervously. 

 

_“You have a lot of explaining to do young lady.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well that took far too long. 
> 
> Please do share your opinions on this chapter and point out any mistakes. 
> 
> As soon as I post this Imma start on chapter 7 because I am too excited too see what happens not to. 
> 
> As always,
> 
> Thornsword.


	7. Mandatory Meet The Parents

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adrien has decided that he’s terrified of Marinette’s mum, and he doesn’t want to get on the wrong side of her dad either - but who says first impressions are true?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heyo!
> 
> So it took me a while, but here’s part 7!
> 
> Summary: Adrien has decided that he’s terrified of Marinette’s mum, and he doesn’t want to get on the wrong side of her dad either - but who says first impressions are true?
> 
> Pairing(s): Adrien x Marinette/Chat Noir x Ladybug
> 
> Word count: 1308
> 
> Warnings: Everyone’s probably OOC 
> 
> Disclaimer: nah m8
> 
> (I would just like to thank the lovely Sashiro for beta-ing this!)
> 
> Enjoy

Adrien was frozen. 

 

_Of all the times to be interrupted,_ he cursed, _it had to be her mum, and while we were in a compromising position._

 

“Uh… hey mum,” Marinette greeted nervously, letting go of his collar and slowly scooting further away from him, “what’s up?”

 

_“What’s up?”_ her mother repeated, “what’s _up_ is that you and this boy are coming downstairs and we’re going to have a chat.”

 

After giggling nervously and sharing a wary glance, the pair followed her mother out the door. 

 

_What if she’s upset with me?_ Marinette’s thoughts whirled around in her head as they silently walked down the myriad of stairs, _what if she makes me stop seeing Adrien? What if she grounds me and I can’t help Chat Noir? What if the house explodes? Ok, that’s not likely to happen BUT STILL-_

 

She was jerked out of her increasingly anxious state by a warm hand encasing her own. She looked up and saw Adrien smiling at her - albeit nervously - as he swung their hands between them. 

 

Throwing him a terse smile back, she turned her gaze towards the stairs.

 

“Papa!”her mother called once they reached the living room, “Can you come here for a second?”

 

Adrien squeezed her hand companionably and they sat down.

 

“What’s this about?” her father asked kindly, glancing at the two teenagers on the couch. 

 

Marinette’s mother turned back to face them. “Apparently,” she started, her voice softer than Marinette expected it to be, “Marinette has a boyfriend that she didn’t tell us about - I just caught them in her room… _kissing.”_

 

Her father’s eyes widened. 

 

“I-is that so?” he stammered, mind still reeling. 

 

Marinette just wanted to sink into the couch and disappear forever. Everything about this situation was _so embarrassing -_ she wouldn’t be surprised if Adrien avoided her for a bit after this, because she knew that the subject of whatever her parents were about to say did not include protecting her dignity.

 

Both adults stared them in the eye, her mother’s eyebrow was raised and her father looked menacing, his furious stare and huge form was making Adrien _very nervous indeed._

 

Then they burst out laughing. 

 

_Wait, what?_ Adrien thought, _I thought they were angry??_

 

He looked over to Marinette, who was just as confused. She shook her head and shrugged, as if to say _they may be my parents, but I have no idea what is going on._

 

Her mother put a hand on her father’s arm and they both sat down, smiling softly. 

 

“We just wanted to scare you a bit,” he told them calmly, amusement lacing his voice, “you should have seen your faces.”

 

Adrien was flabbergasted. Within the past twenty minutes he had comforted Marinette, kissed her, been interrupted by her mum, scared out of his wits by _both_ her parents and now _they were laughing._

 

What.

 

“Let… let me get this straight,” Marinette started, “you… scared us… just because you could?”

 

Her parents shared a look. 

 

“Yea that’s about it.”

 

“I hate you,” she scowled without any malice, a giggle rising in her throat, “you’re horrible.”

 

“When did this happen then?” her mother asked jovially, gesturing to the space - or lack thereof - between them. 

 

Adrien blushed slightly as he remembered the hectic past couple of days. “Only recently,” he answered, smiling unconsciously. 

 

“How’d it happen? Who asked who?”

 

That stopped the blushing pair in their tracks. _‘We met up in the top of the Eiffel Tower and talked about stuff and oh yea we’re Ladybug and Chat Noir,’_ wasn’t really going to work well. 

 

“U-uh… Adrien…. asked me to… go to the Louvre with him,” Marinette stammered, flailing her hands around slightly as she so often did when she was flustered. 

 

“Oh, nice choice,” her mother approved, winking at Adrien. 

 

There was an awkward silence. Marinette was sitting ram-rod straight, staring at a spot on the wall and a light blush colouring her cheeks, hoping, _praying_ that her parents wouldn’t do anything embarrassing. 

 

“Marinette loves all that kind of stuff,” her father beamed, “she must have filled up hundreds of sketchbooks with those of designs of yours.”

 

“Oh really?” Adrien asked, smirking at her, _“Hundreds?”_

 

_How I wish I could smack that pretty little smirk of your stupidly handsome face,_ she thought bitterly, beginning to regret her _completely involuntary_ decision to fall for him. 

 

Marinette nudged him lightly with her shoulder. 

 

“Do you like my daughter?”

 

Whoop there it is. She had been waiting for her father to drop the pin since they came down the stairs. 

 

“I do,” Adrien promised. 

 

_It kinda sounds like a marriage vow when he says it like that…_ Marinette daydreamed, before blushing heavily and becoming overwhelmed with the urge to bury her face in her hands because _imagine getting married to Adrien!!_

 

Nope. Nope. _Do not_ think about that. This is a serious conversation with your parents. About Adrien. Shh.

 

“And what are your intentions with her?” asked her mother in a sickly sweet tone that definitely meant _you are never going to see her again if you answer this wrong._

 

Adrien gulped. 

 

“I… um… for things to just continue being like how they are now… I guess,” he finished lamely, avoiding her eye and blushing. 

 

“If you ever hurt her…” her mother continued, smiling sweetly, “I’ll make sure you most certainly regret it, are we clear?”

 

He nodded, slightly scared at the implication of those words. 

 

The heavy atmosphere dissipated as both Marinette’s parents smiled. “We like you Adrien,” her father told him, lifting the weight of the world off his shoulders, “but _next time,_ we would _appreciate it_ if you two told us about your relationship _before_ we catch you red-handed.”

 

Marinette blushed and lowered her gaze. 

 

She glanced at Adrien, then at the stairs. He smiled in agreement and she took his hand and asked if they could be excused.

 

“Alright, you two can go - but leave the door open!” he shouted at their rapidly retreating forms. 

 

“I am so, so sorry about all of that,” Marinette apologised once they were safely back in her room.

 

Adrien shrugged, slightly out of breath. “It’s fine, at least I got their approval right?” he smiled, pulling her into an embrace. 

 

She sighed happily and rested her head on his chest, lazily looping her arms around his middle. 

 

“I must admit, that was one of the more nerve-racking experiences I’ve had,” he chuckled into her hair. 

 

She looked up at him accusingly. “You fight _actual demons_ and you’re scared of my parents?” she asked him. 

 

“Hypocrite,” he retorted. 

 

Marinette giggled and stuck her tongue out at him. 

 

“Now,” he breathed, letting his arms fall but keeping hold of her hand, “scary stuff out of the way, I’d like to spend some time with my girlfriend if that’s okay with the universe.”

 

“… The universe says maybe,” she informed him after a second. 

 

Adrien smirked and kissed her on the cheek. “Well, I’ll take my chances,” he murmured. 

 

“Well you missed, so I don’t think your chances are very high,” Marinette retorted, pouting playfully. 

 

“Oh?” he asked with faux curiosity, moving closer so their noses were touching, “I promise I won’t this time.”

 

(He didn’t)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright well that took longer than expected.
> 
> Please tell me what you thought it literally makes my day, and any prompts for part 9 (part 8’s already half done) would be greatly appreciated!
> 
> As always,
> 
> Thornsword


	8. Ticklish

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As it turns out, Marinette doesn’t know everything about Adrien.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heyo!
> 
> Chapters are gonna be a tad slow from now on, since school is a real time-sucker and all >__

“And your parents - and then you - and then _Adrien_ oh my gosh that’s hilarious!” Alya laughed as they stood outside school the next day, “It must have been so awkward, like when she first came in and everything!”

 

“I was, I just wanna forget the whole thing,” Marinette agreed morosely, leaning on her friend’s shoulder. 

 

Still giggling, Alya patted her on the head. “Awwe, poor Mari, what with her perfect boyfriend and amazing designs and parents that didn’t embarrass her,” she cooed sarcastically. 

 

“Parents that haven’t embarrassed me _yet!”_ Marinette reminded her, looking up.

 

Alya just laughed. “Hey, Adrien!” she called, “how was your last visit to Mari’s place?”

 

Adrien, having caught onto the situation, smirked. “It was lovely, thank you very much,” he exclaimed. 

 

“I’m sure.”

 

Nino looked between them, confused. “Am I missing something?” he asked. 

 

Marinette just shook her head. “Don’t worry about it,” she blushed. 

 

“But-“ he was cut off by the loud ringing of the bell. Marinette grabbed Alya by the crook of her elbow and ran inside. 

 

“You suck,” she murmured as they took their seats. 

 

Her friend just smiled somewhat apologetically and turned to face the front. 

 

Alya slid a note across the table, a sly expression painted onto her face.

 

_You do know if your parents aren’t gonna embarrass you, the job falls to me?_

 

Marinette scowled at her, ignoring the giggles Alya was trying keep in. She was having _way_ too much fun with this. 

 

_Just focus on the board,_ she thought to herself, staring up at the front and trying to understand what the teacher was writing, _just focus on… what the hell is a Macbeth?_

 

_———_

 

“Did you understand _any_ of that?” Marinette asked Adrien as they walked down the hall, hands swinging between them. 

 

“It was Shakespeare,” he told her simply, “he’s actually alright.”

 

“If you say so.”

 

Adrien stuck out his tongue. “I do,” he quipped playfully, nudging her slightly. 

 

She giggled and kissed him on the cheek, before sticking her tongue out and running off, throwing a “see you next after lunch!” over her shoulder.

 

Shaking his head and smiling almost unconsciously, Adrien turned around and began making his way outside. 

 

“Oh my God, you’re Adrien Agreste!” someone squealed. 

 

He groaned internally, wishing that just _once_ he would be able to walk home for lunch without getting attacked by a fangirl. To be honest, he didn’t even know how he _got_ fangirls in the first place - yeah he went to a couple of photoshoots, but he got recognised by random people in the streets, which was something he definitely couldn’t get used to. 

 

“Hey,” Adrien greeted, a smile tweaking at his lips. 

 

“C-can I have a hug?” she asked nervously, grinning when he nodded and held out his arms. 

 

A couple of selfies and an excited gush later, he was on his way home. As he pressed the buzzer outside his house, the face he was greeted with turned out to be his father’s - not Natalie as it usually was.

 

“Adrien, come in - we need to have a talk.”

 

Gulping nervously, he walked through the double-doored gate and up the path. 

 

_This can’t be good._

 

He took a deep breath, then pushed open the door, purposely not looking up at the stairs where he knew the man would be. 

 

“You were late,” Mr. Agreste started coldly, “to three photoshoots within the past two weeks.”

 

_Crap._

 

The first time, he was Chat Noir and he couldn’t just tell Ladybug: _“hey so, you don’t know who I am yet but I have this super important thing to do - have fun with this guy!”_ and then run off, but the other times he was with Marinette and lost track of time. 

 

“Yes,” Adrien agreed solemnly, hoping that he wouldn’t ask _why_ he was late - he had never been able to lie very well. 

 

“You’re slacking.”

 

“Yes,” he knew the best thing to do when his father was angry was to just agree with everything he said, even though between fighting Hawk Moth and his akumas, going to school and going to photoshoots, he was very much not slacking off.

 

“And here I thought you liked doing this posing nonsense,” Mr Agreste continued stoically. 

 

Adrien’s eyes widened. “I do!” he exclaimed, and he really did - it wasn’t like he _wanted_ to be late. 

 

“Then _don’t slack off if you want to continue it!”_

 

“I won’t” he promised. 

 

“Good. I don’t want to have this conversation again,” was the last thing his father said before walking up the stairs and into his office, probably to do some completely serious things to do with his job, which Adrien still wasn’t _quite_ sure he understood. 

 

_Conversation? It was more like a lecture,_ he thought bitterly, dragging his feet into the dining room, where his lunch had already been laid out for him. 

 

He ate quickly, not knowing how much time he had left before he had to get back, picked up his bag and left. Going to school was the _last_ thing he wanted to do right now - he would much rather just transform and fly around the skyline of Paris, preferably with Ladybug laughing jovially next to him. 

 

But he couldn’t. Which _sucked._

 

Not being bothered to walk, Adrien took the limo to school, lamenting at how _completely and utterly pretentious_ he would look but sliding down in the leather seats comfortably nonetheless. 

 

“We’re here,” the driver announced, pulling up outside the building. 

 

He thanked the large man and got out, closing his eyes in anticipation for the stares, but no one was there. 

 

“Alright, so I’ve either come too early,” he mused as the car drove away, “… or really late.”

 

Panicking slightly, Adrien checked his phone: _too early._

 

_Great._

 

Sighing, he slumped down on the low wall and put his head in his hands, trying to think up a better way to juggle everything rather than just _turn up when the car comes, transform when someone screams, practice when you remember to-_

 

“Adrien!”

 

His head snapped up and a smile flitted across his face. “Hey, Marinette, what are you doing here so early?” he asked. 

 

“The bakery was super busy, so I decided to get out of there before my mum roped me into helping and I would end up being late and covered in flour,” she giggled, her bright smile dimming slightly as she saw the look on his face, “what’s up?”

 

“My father decided I was slacking too much because I was late to a couple of photoshoots.”

 

A warm, comforting arm slipped around his shoulders. “That sucks,” Marinette whispered in his ear. 

 

Adrien shrugged noncommittally. 

 

Her hand slowly slid off his shoulder and dug into his ribs slightly, making a small giggle fall from his lips. 

 

The hand retracted. 

 

“Adrien?” his girlfriend smirked, “are you ticklish?”

 

“N-no!”

 

Her thin fingers poked his sides experimentally and Adrien squirmed away, a smile tugging at the side of his mouth. 

 

“You are!” Marinette exclaimed gleefully, nudging him again. 

 

“Mari-“ Adrien laughed, “st-ha- _stop!”_

 

She moved into a kneeling position, giving her more of an advantage and using it to prod at his underarms and neck.

 

“Say that Ladybug is better than Chat Noir at everything!” 

 

He stopped giggling momentarily to glare up at her in mock betrayal. “Never,” he told her, still trying to avoid her hands. 

 

“Say it!” 

 

They were both laughing now, Adrien stood up and stepped back, so Marinette chased after him. When she was a few paces away from him, Adrien lunged out and grabbed her forearms, and, now that she was unbalanced, pulled her towards him. 

 

Marinette let out a cry of surprise as she leant on his chest, struggling to regain control of her arms and laughing as Adrien put her hands behind him. 

 

“Oh how the tables have turned, My Lady,” he purred in her ear. 

 

She glared up at him playfully. “Not yet,” Marinette sung and pressed their lips together. 

 

Adrien let go of her hands to cup her face and smiled into the kiss. 

 

“Oh yea, don’t mind us,” Alya’s voice sounded from behind them, “it’s not like school’s about to start or anything.”

 

They broke apart, blushing heavily when they saw the amount of people who had been staring at them. 

 

Chuckling, Alya grabbed Marinette’s hand. “Later _loverboy,”_ she exclaimed over her shoulder as she pulled her stumbling friend inside. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yea I know, bit of a lame ending but oh well
> 
> Please share your opinions, tell me if I messed up anywhere and I will see you next chapter!
> 
> As Always,
> 
> Thornsword.


	9. The Rain And The Text Message

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adrien hates the rain. No, Marinette he is nothing like a cat, he just hates the rain.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heyo!
> 
> So yea, hiatus over and I’m back to writing this!
> 
> Pairing(s): Adrien x Marinette/Chat Noir x Ladybug
> 
> Word count: 1476
> 
> Warnings: Grumpy Adrien and a bit of OOC-ness
> 
> Disclaimer: honestly I give up
> 
> Thank you once again to Sashiro for editing this ^__^
> 
> Enjoy!

It was raining. 

 

That was the first thing Adrien realised when he woke up. 

 

Slowly sitting up on his bed and pawing at his eyes, he stared out the window at the dreary skies and pouring rain. 

 

Yawning, Adrien sleepily made his way over to his closet and got dressed. He wondered if being Chat Noir half the time actually impacted him because now, whenever it rained he just felt _so tired._

 

_Marinette was going to tease him mercilessly when she found out._

 

A soft smile flitted across his features unconsciously at the thought. He remembered the countless cat jokes they had both made - nine lives, landing on his feet (which he obviously couldn’t), cat got your tongue; the list went on and on. 

 

Ladybug had gotten so used to calling him ‘kitty’ that the nickname worked its way into _Marinettte’s_ vocabulary, and they were both thankful that they were alone because it would have taken _quite a bit_ of explaining if Alya had been there. 

 

Adrien chuckled as he sluggishly made his way downstairs, perking up slightly at the smell of pancakes wafting in the air. 

 

It was still raining after he had finished eating. 

 

Which really wasn’t fair because he had stalled _so much_ in hopes that it would stop. 

 

Ladybugs probably _flourished_ in the rain. They probably _loved_ the awful, relentless hurricane he was experiencing right now.

 

And _no,_ he wasn’t exaggerating. 

 

(Well, maybe a bit.)

 

“Here’s the schedule for today,” Natalie told him, stoic as ever, as she handed him a device with coloured boxes and organised time slots displayed. Adrien glanced over the spreadsheet and sighed before giving it back to her. 

 

He had a photoshoot after school today… but like… _rain._

 

“Are you okay?” the secretary asked him, “you’re acting like you’ve caught a cold.”

 

Adrien shook his head without thinking. _Damn,_ he cursed, _I could have avoided the whole thing if I just- no… I can’t just skip school every time it rains._

 

“Why did I have to get the _worst_ parts..” he muttered to himself, glaring out the window at the determined downpour and wishing he could just have a craving for fish, or a strange attraction to glowing red lights. 

 

Rain sucked. 

 

Sighing heavily, Adrien walked back upstairs and grabbed his bag, mentally checking that he had everything as he trudged towards the front door. 

 

His phone rang.

 

“…’lo?” he yawned. 

 

_“Adrien? Why aren’t you at school?”_ came Marinette’s distressed voice, which set him on edge slightly from all the times they’d fought together. 

 

“What do you mean?”

 

_“I mean the bell’s gonna ring in about five minutes so you’d better run,”_ she replied. 

 

Adrien’s eyes widened and dread slipped down his spine. “Dammit!” he muttered, “I’m gonna have to get driven today.”

 

_“Will you make it in time?”_

 

“I don’t know, hopefully?” Adrien opened the door and rushed to where he knew the driver would be waiting for him, “I’ll see you soon Marinette.”

 

_“See you,”_ she giggled, and his heart fluttered at the sound. 

 

The call disconnected. 

 

“School please,” Adrien directed, desperation seeping into his tone, “and hurry.”

 

They arrived in front of the red-brick building in a screech of tires and a jerk of the seatbelt. Scrambling to loop his back over his shoulder, he ended up almost falling out of the car - which, really would be just _great_ right now - but managed to save his face by tripping slightly…

 

…Right into Marinette’s arms. 

 

“Well, this is familiar,” she smiled, one hand holding his forearm and the other wrapped around the handle of a pink umbrella.

 

“Isn’t it?” Adrien replied, before standing up and yawning. 

 

Marinette took his hand and lead him up the stairs and under cover so he wouldn’t get wet. “Late night?” she asked sympathetically. 

 

He shook his head and rubbed his eyes groggily. 

 

“I always get like this when it rains,” he muttered, sitting down and pulling her with him. 

 

Marinette was silent for a moment, Adrien’s head resting on her shoulder before she gasped. 

 

_There it is,_ he thought, readying himself for the cat-related jokes, puns and sarcastic remarks that were undoubtedly coming his way. 

 

“Aww, doesn’t kitty like the rain?” she giggled, patting his head sympathetically. 

 

Adrien shivered at the contact. “No,” he pouted miserably. 

 

“Then why didn’t you bring an umbrella?”

 

_Knew I forgot something._

 

“I was running late,” Adrien shrugged, leaning into Marinette’s warm touch. 

 

The pair fell silent, waiting for the loud ring of the bell that they both knew would come. Adrien closed his eyes - he wished the bell wouldn’t, just for today because it was _raining_ and he was _tired_ and he really liked where he was now _thank you very much._

 

“Honestly if you start purring I won’t be able to tell the difference between you and an actual cat,” Marinette murmured, laughter lacing her words. 

 

“…Well I’m sure there are similarities between you and ladybugs,” Adrien retorted quietly, not wanting anyone to overhear them. 

 

“Oh yea? Like what?”

 

The bell rang and he groaned before standing up and holding a hand out for Marinette to take. 

 

“You’re cute, for a start,” he smirked cheekily, a chuckle falling from his lips as she blushed. They kept their hands joined as they made their way into the classroom, teasing each other playfully about _polka dots_ or _really long belts_ in a way that left anyone who heard them confused. 

 

He kissed her cheek in the doorway and let go of her hand before sitting down at his desk, deciding that he really liked making Marinette blush. Nino nudged him and raised his eyebrows at the pair of them. 

 

Now _he_ was the one blushing _and it was still raining._

 

 

———

 

“You gonna be okay?” Marinette asked cheekily as they started packing up, “it’s still raining.”

 

“Don’t remind me.”

 

“Poor sleepy kitty,” she giggled, oblivious to Adrien’s _very real_ dilemma because he felt like he was going to fall asleep _at any moment._

 

His phone buzzed, indicating that the car was outside. 

 

“See you tomorrow Nino,” he waved as his friend bolted out the door. _At least one of us gets to have a nap,_ he thought wistfully. 

 

Adrien smiled at Marinette - who blushed and smiled back - and Alya before walking towards the hallway. 

 

“Bye Adrien!” Alya exclaimed, “Mari and I will be stalking the photoshoot pictures so good luck!”

 

_“Alya!”_

 

Adrien laughed to himself at their antics, a red tinge creeping up his neck as he glared up at the sky… if he ran fast enough, he wouldn’t get _too_ wet, right?

 

Well, that was the plan at least. 

 

-

 

“I can’t believe you said that,” Marinette grumbled, cheeks bright red as she and Alya walked towards the bakery, “he probably thinks I’m weird now.”

 

“Calm down,” her friend told her easily, slinging an arm around the shorter girl’s shoulders, “it wasn’t that bad.”

 

“Yes it was!”

 

Alya laughed slightly at Marinette’s incredulous tone. “It really wasn’t,” she reassured, “all I told him was that we’d see the photos.”

 

“In the _worst way possible,”_ Marinette sighed, inserting her key into the lock, “my parents are doing some deliveries right now, so grab a pastry and let’s see if we can make head or tails of the homework.”

 

Winking, Alya took a couple of tasty-looking things from the leftovers pile and followed the excitable girl upstairs. 

 

About hafway through their study session - more chatting than writing, but oh well - Marinette’s phone buzzed but before she could see who the text was from, Alya snatched it off the table. 

 

“It’s from Adrien!” she announced gleefully, unlocking the phone - wait, when did she find out the passcode? - and scrolling down to the conversation. 

 

Marinette swallowed nervously, dread making her nerves tingle in anticipation and her arms tensed, ready to grab the device because the main thing she and Adrien talked about were the fact that they were the very superheroes her friend was trying to unmask. 

 

She tapped her feet anxiously. 

 

_“The pictures are up,”_ Alya read, smirking, _“but if you tell me one more cat joke I’m not gonna hep you for like a week - I also hereby hand over patrol duty to you because I am already asleep so have fun!”_

 

Silence. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think I’m just getting rlly lazy with this now oops I have no ideas anymore. 
> 
> Please tell me what you thought, if I made any mistakes or any prompts you might have!
> 
> As always, 
> 
> Thornsword.


	10. Identity Revealed?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ladybug’s freaking out about Alya, while Chat Noir insists it’s not a big deal (Spoiler: it’s a big deal)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heyo!
> 
> I’m sorry about the last cliffhanger. Won’t happen again I promise.
> 
> Pairing(s): Ladybug x Chat Noir/ Marinette x Adrien
> 
> Words:
> 
> Warnings: none, aside from the usual OOC-ness
> 
> Disclaimer: This is part 10. If you haven’t grasped the concept that I don’t own them then you never will. 
> 
> Enjoy!

 

Marinette didn’t know what to say. 

 

Her mind raced, desperately trying to come up with an excuse as to why Adrien would text her about cat jokes and patrols. 

 

“…What’s that meant to mean?” Alya asked, staring up at her in confusion. 

 

“I… um…” she spluttered, “Adrien…. has a cat who… sleeps a lot? When it rains? And he was sleepy today so…”

 

The brunette nodded sceptically, eyebrow raised. “And the patrol? What patrol are you going on?” she continued. 

 

“It’s… an inside joke.”

 

She shot Marinette a glance that just screamed _I don’t believe a word you’re saying and I will get to the bottom of this._

 

“Ok,” Alya hummed with forced nonchalance, “let’s get this homework done, shall we?”

 

“Y-yea,” Marinette stammered nervously, picking up her tablet and extracting the stylus. 

 

———

 

The study session had been spent in awkward silences and intentionally innocent, probing questions from Alya that had the secret superhero fumbling for words and spitting out half-baked excuses. 

 

It’s fair to say that luck was _not_ on her side today. 

 

Marinette waved her friend goodbye as the sun was setting, a strained smile plastered across her lips. As soon as Alya was out of sight, she ran upstairs, grabbed her phone and texted Adrien quickly before transforming and leaping out her window. 

 

The sunset was reflecting off rooftops and reds, oranges and pinks were splattered across the sky like messy watercolours. The smell of rain still lingered in the air and the gentle bustle of the city could be heard below her but Marinette couldn’t focus on any of that because _she knows something she knows something and she won’t stop until she finds out what I’m not telling her what do I do what do I do…._

 

Panic whirled around in her mind, throwing her thoughts around like clothes in a tumble dryer and she couldn’t think of anything besides _get to the Eiffel Tower. Get to Chat._

 

Ladybug landed on a roof and swung her yo-yo with everything she had towards the famous structure, trying to let some of the frustration out. 

 

The yo-yo bounced off a beam. 

 

“Well this is new _My Lady,”_ came a distinctive voice from behind her, “you never miss.”

 

She turned around to see Chat Noir smirking cockily, arms crossed and bravado back in place. 

 

“…Chat.”

 

His expression faltered momentarily. He was worried. 

 

“It seemed like quite the emergency when you texted me,” Chat told her, raising a hand up to his brow and looking around dramatically, “but don’t see anything of the sort.”

 

“…Chat I…” 

 

She didn’t know where to start. Should she first explain how Alya was _literally_ the most determined person in the entire world first, or maybe she should clarify that she knew something was up between them, or what about that time that she drew a Chat Noir costume on Adrien’s picture?

 

You could cut the tension with a butter knife. 

 

“Your secret identity might not be secret for much longer,” she murmured. 

 

He took a step back. “What’s that meant to mean?” he asked, flabbergasted. 

 

“It means that Alya saw the text you sent me and I really can’t lie to save my life and you know how she is with the two of us and I’m really sorry!” she apologised

 

Chat let out a sigh of relief. 

 

“Is _that_ all - I thought someone was threatening you or something.”

 

“But…” Ladybug started, unable to comprehend how he could be so _relaxed._

 

He smiled and pulled her in close, arms wrapping around her and chin on the top of her head. “It’s fine - you’ve managed to evade her for ages, let me do it for a while,” he whispered. 

 

She rested her head on Chat’s chest, listening to the steady thrum of his heartbeat. 

 

“Ok,” Ladybug agreed softly, before stepping away from him and smirking, “but you have to come on patrol with me now.”

 

He groaned dramatically. “But I’m _tired,”_ he whined, “it was _raining_ today, in case you hadn’t noticed.”

 

She giggled and kissed him on the cheek before leaping off the roof. 

 

Chat stopped. “How can I _not_ follow you after you do something like that?” he muttered to himself, glaring up at her twisting form as he jumped after her. 

 

With relief unpicking the knot of worry in her chest, Ladybug laughed as she flew though the air, enjoying the sound of Chat Noir running after her, exclaiming that _I’ll catch you eventually_ and _you do realise we’re meant to be on patrol and not playing around?_

 

The hypocrite. 

 

Night had fallen by the time the adrenalin ran out of her system. There was a niggling in the back of her mind that her parents might worry, but she brushed it aside - they didn’t check up on her after dinner until they were going to bed, which wouldn’t be for a while. 

 

“You got a head start,” Chat pouted as he landed on the roof next to her, “and it was raining, so that’s like… a _double_ head start.”

 

Ladybug laughed and pressed a chaste kiss to his lips. “Better?” she smirked, stepping back slightly. 

 

He pretended to think about it for a couple of seconds. “Mmm… almost,” he hummed, leaning in close. 

 

“Well I don’t know what else I can do,” Ladybug told him, with faux innocence lacing her tone. 

 

Chat Noir roped his arms around her middle and drew her in so their noses were touching. “I can think of something,” he murmured, before closing the gap between them. 

 

Ladybug had lost count of how many times they kissed, but each time their lips touched something swelled up in her chest and fluttered in her stomach and it felt like she was going to explode. Her lips curled into a smile, the awareness of Chat’s arms holding her like he never wanted to let go warming her heart. 

 

“How come we always end up kissing at the end of patrols?” she asked him breathlessly after they parted. 

 

“Too late to stop now, it’s become a tradition,” he smirked at her, catching her hand in his. 

 

Ladybug rolled her eyes good-naturedly. “Whatever you say kitty,” she squeezed his hand before letting go, “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

 

With that, she turned and ran off the edge. 

 

Chat sighed and stared up at the sky. _How can one person be so… so…_

 

He couldn’t finish the sentence. There were literally no words he could find to describe how she made him feel. 

 

Shaking his head, the leather-clad superhero glanced in her direction one last time before heading off the opposite way. 

 

———

 

_Well, at least it’s not raining,_ Adrien thought to himself as he opened the obnoxiously large front doors. 

 

He was tired - a side effect of going on patrol with Ladybug, then realising he had forgotten to do his homework. Sometimes he wondered why he couldn’t just live as Chat Noir, no homework, no absent dad, no stupidly late hours. 

 

These thoughts only last a whole two seconds before he remembers Nino, and Marinette, and his friends at the fencing club and the way piano keys feel underneath his fingers. 

 

The walk to school was mundane - pretty much just Adrien trying not to look weird as he told Plagg that he specifically told him _not_ to eat his pens, _but you had to do it anyway, didn’t you?_

 

“I thought they were cheese!” 

 

“They’re pens, Plagg. _Pens,”_ he hissed, trying not to look conspicuous. 

 

“Well it’s your fault for having pens that look like cheese,” the kwami reasoned. 

 

Adrien felt like throwing his hands up in frustration. 

 

“We’ll finish this conversation later,” he promised as he walked into school.

 

Nino ran up to him and they knocked their fists together lightly. “Hey man, you’re not gonna _believe_ what my sister did yesterday-“

 

Adrien never got to find out what Nino’s sister did yesterday, because just then Alya ran past them - knocking Nino over and throwing a hasty apology behind her - and jumped onto a poor, unsuspecting Marinette. 

 

“Mari, Mari!” she exclaimed, “guess what?”

 

“W-what?” she stuttered, taken aback by her friend’s excitement. 

 

“I found out who Chat Noir is!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I lied. I did it again. I’m sorry. 
> 
> Please tell me what you thought bc it literally makes my week, any mistakes, and if you’ve got anything you want to happen feel free to drop a prompt my way!
> 
> As always,
> 
> Thornsword.


	11. It's Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I found out who Chat Noir is!” In which Alya shows her detective skills and Adrien has no choice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heyo!
> 
> Alright, I know I lied last time, but that really was the last cliffhanger.
> 
> Pairing(s): Chat Noir x Ladybug/Adrien x Marinette
> 
> Word count: 1740
> 
> Warnings: Just the general OOC-ness, lack of plot. You know the drill. 
> 
> Description: if we all chant around a Satan’s symbol then maybe but unless that happens…
> 
> Enjoy!

 

_“I found out who Chat Noir is!”_

 

The entire school yard fell silent, each person waiting with bated breath for the blogger to reveal one of Paris’ great secrets.

 

Alya looked around self-consciously, before taking Marinette’s hand. “Sorry folks,” she exclaimed, “nothing to see here! Let’s go Mari.”

 

With that, the pair disappeared inside and the students gradually started talking again, all conversations focused on one thing: him, or more specifically, Chat Noir.

 

They both knew it was only a matter of time until Alya pulled a Sherlock Holmes and discovered who they really were, but he thought he would have more time than _this._

 

“Hey are you okay?” Nino asked, drawing his attention back, “you look kinda pale.”

 

Adrien gulped nervously. “Who- me? Yeah, I’m…um… I’m fine,” he stammered distractedly, casting worried glances back towards the double doors the two friends had gone through not five seconds prior. 

 

“…Okay,” Nino replied dubiously. 

 

The probably not-so-secret superhero shook his head. “Anyway, what were you saying about your sister?”

 

“Right, well you know how I…”

 

Nino’s voice fade into a corner of his mind, welcoming background noise to the increasingly loud static of the worries he couldn’t shake. 

 

When Alya was Lady Wifi, she said that liars had to be punished. When people get possessed by an akuma, it’s simply bad things spawning from good intentions - they’re still the same person inside, so… what if she thought he was distrustful? What if Marinette - who couldn’t lie _at all_ \- accidentally revealed who _she_ was as well?

 

Lady Wifi and Alya were the same person, even though one wasn’t extreme as the other, and every second he spent here was another second potentially damning Marinette to lose her best friend. 

 

“…and then I jumped into a volcano. With sharks. In the middle of the Sahara- you’re not listening to me, are you?”

 

“Huh?” Adrien asked, jerked out of his frantic musings, “sorry, Nino. I’ve just got a lot on my mind.”

 

_You’re just overthinking it,_ he told himself stubbornly, _no one’s losing anyone and, Alya would never leave Marinette, no matter what._

 

“You okay?” his friend asked worriedly, “I mean, I know you’ve been a bit weird lately- is everything okay with Marinette? Is-“

 

“Yes!” he replied hurriedly, “yea, everything’s fine with us it’s just… um… my dad.”

 

Nino nodded in understanding, and Adrien felt a stab of guilt for lying, but it was better than telling the truth. 

 

The bell rang, and Nino patted him on the back comfortingly before they headed inside. 

 

———

 

Before Marinette knew what was happening, she was being pulled along the hallway, mind reeling from what her friend had just shouted to the entire school. 

 

The words _‘I found out who Chat Noir is’_ ran circles in her mind, taunting her and making ice-cold dread slip down her neck. 

 

They took a sharp turn, and Marinette heard the door click shut behind her. Looking around, she noticed they were in an unused classroom, and being locked in a rather small room did nothing to calm her nerves. 

 

“Okay, so you’re not going to like it,” Alya started, practically bursting at the seams with excitement, “but I know who he is.”

 

“Why… why won’t I like it?” she asked, choosing her words carefully.

 

“Because you won’t believe me.”

 

Marinette’s pulse skyrocketed.

 

“Okay, so, y’know how we found out that Ladybug is actually millions of years old?” her friend started, leaning in conspiratorially. 

 

“Yea…?”

 

“Well, that got me thinking - what if _Chat Noir_ was the same age?” Alya grinned, like she’d hit the jackpot. 

 

Marinette calmed down slightly. Now her only problem was how she was going to lie to her friend about being surprised and/or clueless. 

 

“So you’re saying that Chat Noir is billions of years old?”

 

Alya nodded enthusiastically. “Exactly! So I did some digging on the scroll from the museum and _guess what?”_ she giggled, enjoying the suspenseful atmosphere she had created. 

 

“What?”

 

“A prophecy!”

 

Marinette stopped short. “What good does a prophecy from Ancient Egypt do you?” she asked. 

 

“All the good in the world!” Alya exclaimed, “the prophecy was something about Chat Noir always being really close to Ladybug, and that they were together even out costume and now I know how I can find both on them in one go!”

 

“So… you don’t _actually_ know who he is?” Marinette classified. 

 

The brunette shook her head, apologetic smile painted across her lips. 

 

_Why’d I get all worked up for nothing?,_ the secret superhero thought ruefully to herself, calming down slowly. 

 

“I will though, in like a day.”

 

Not calm. _Not calm._

 

“I know!” Alya exclaimed happly, misreading Marinette’s shocked expression, “all I need to do is wait until the next akuma attack and take loads of pictures of them, then compare it to the people in this area.”

 

Marinette opened her mouth to say something, by she was cut off. 

 

“I know they’re in this area because I seriously doubt they could patrol the entirety of Paris, and I’ve tried to tail Ladybug more than once, but she always looses me in the same spot,” she paused, “it’s actually really close to your bakery Mari!”

 

_Very not calm._ “It still doesn’t mean L-Ladybug and Chat Noir live in here,” Marinette intoned shakily. 

 

“Yea well, I’ve got a hunch.”

 

“Your last hunch turned out to be _Chloe,”_ she reminded her detective of a friend. 

 

“Shhhh, just trust me on this,” Alya winked. 

 

That was the problem. Marinette _did_ trust her. She trusted her determination and how she was able to find out anything if she tried hard enough. Alya was amazing at that kind of stuff, and _that was the problem._

 

When the pair walked back into the classroom, everyone fell silent. Alya simply shot them a secret smile, put her fingers to her lips and slid into her seat. 

 

Marinette and Adrien exchanged glances, his was pleading and expectant, like he had been bracing himself for the worst, hers was an apologetic grimace, not one that said _she knows_ but one that said _I’m worried._

 

As she made her way to her seat, Marinette brushed her fingers over Adrien’s knuckles and then his shoulder, sending warm electricity running through his system. 

 

He sighed in relief. No, they weren’t out of the woods yet, but the worst had been avoided. 

 

Well, so far at least. 

 

Adrien felt sorry for Marinette - he knew she probably just wanted to tell Alya everything, but she ran the most popular Ladybug blog in Paris, and finding out who they were would either make her post it, or stop posting altogether, which would be way too suspicious. 

 

He sighed. Everything was getting very complicated, very quickly. 

 

———

 

“Mission Accomplished!”

 

They bumped their fists together, and Chat Noir grinned before catching her hand and pulling her close, chastely pressing their lips together. 

 

Ladybug pulled back, mouth still slightly puckered and giggles falling from her lips. “After akumas as well Chat?” she teased, “aren’t we getting a bit ahead of ourselves?”

 

Chat simply shrugged and kissed her on the cheek. “What can I say My Lady, you taste too sweet,” he smirked. 

 

“Down kitty,” she told him, laughing at his antics, Ladybug pressed a finger to his chest and pushed him away. 

 

_Beep beep beep._

 

“I’m down to my last claw,” Chat relayed, “I’ll leave you to handle the rest. _Adieu,_ Ladybug.”

 

Just as he moved to jump off the high roof, Alya burst out of the door to the next level and ran in front of him. “Chat Noir!” she bubbled, “can I ask you a few questions? I promise I’ll be quick! It’s for my blog!”

 

The two superheroes shared a wary look. 

 

“I apologise, _Mon Cheri,_ but I have to go,” Chat told her, usual bravado faltering with nervousness. He needed to get out of there, like, _yesterday._

 

“Oh no, it’ll only be quick!” Alya promised, getting out her phone and going into the voice recording application. 

 

_Beep beep beep._

 

Ladybug knew what was happening, she had to act _fast._

 

Faster than she thought she could move, she pulled Chat Noir behind her, arms outstretched protectively as his transformation was released. Plagg flew through the air and landed on the gravelled floor. 

 

Alya stared, wide-eyed and slack-jawed at the scene she had found herself in. 

 

Ladybug could feel Adrien lean against her back in weariness, ducking down so she couldn’t fully see him. 

 

“Why don’t you want anyone to know who you are?” Alya asked determinedly, holding her phone out in front of her. They were doing this interview _now._

 

“Because then Hawkmoth could target us while we were sleeping, or doing everyday things or he could even target our friends or family. We wouldn’t be able to sped two seconds out of costume,” Ladybug answered stonily. 

 

She knew Alya was her friend, but all she could focus on was protecting Adrien. 

 

The brunette faltered slightly. “Surely it wouldn’t be that bad?” she suggested. 

 

_Not that bad? Really?!_

 

“You’ve seen what Hawkmoth would do just to get our miraculous.”

 

Alya stopped short, as if she had been so overcome with curiosity that she hadn’t had time to think about the reason behind their hidden identities. 

 

Ladybug saw her hesitation, and tried to use it to her advantage. “Plagg, go find something to eat,” she told the kwami, “there’s a hotel below us so you should be able to find something.”

 

The expression on her friend’s face sent waves of guilt washing over her. She shouldn’t be doing this, she should be _trusting_ her, but instead she was pushing her further and further away. 

 

There was a hand on her shoulder. 

 

“Ladybug, it’s okay,” Adrien murmured as he stepped out from behind her shielding stance, “it’s time.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m sorry. 
> 
> Please tell me what you thought, any mistakes and of course any prompts you wanna drop my way!
> 
> As Always,
> 
> Thornsword.


	12. Marinette!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alya’s brain wasn’t keeping up with her eyes. Chat Noir and… Adrien?? If they were the same person, then who was Ladybug?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heyo!
> 
> No more cliffhangers. I promise. For a while.
> 
> Summary: Alya’s brain wasn’t keeping up with her eyes. Chat Noir and… Adrien?? If they were the same person, then who was Ladybug? 
> 
> Pairing(s): Ladybug x Chat Noir/Marinette x Adrien
> 
> Word count: 1300
> 
> Warnings: OOC-ness and kinda crap as per usual
> 
> Disclaimer: I would not have written a twelve-part fanfiction if I owned the whole damn show are you fucking kidding me.
> 
> Enjoy!

_“It’s time.”_

 

Alya stared, mouth gaping open and hands dropping to her sides as _Adrien Agreste_ stepped out from behind Ladybug. 

 

“Hi, Alya,” he greeted awkwardly, scratching at the back of his neck. 

 

It was like her brain had been put on pause. Alya couldn’t form any words, let alone _talk_ and she offhandedly wondered if this was how Marinette felt around him befo-

 

_Marinette._

 

Oh _God_ Marinette. Poor, adorable, innocent Marinette _who Adrien was dating._

 

“Does Marinette know about this?!” she exclaimed, “because I swear if you’re cheating on her, or if you hurt her or-“

 

“Alya!” Adrien interrupted, “I would _never_ do any of that to Marinette.”

 

The brunette crossed her arms and glared at him dubiously. “Really? Because I have pictures of you two kissing and I’m starting to wonder if you even like her at all.”

 

Adrien flinched back as if he’d been burnt, pain flitting across his features. 

 

_Good,_ Alya thought, _he should feel bad for toying with Mari’s feelings like that._

 

Ladybug wrapped a hand around his elbow and pulled him back slightly. They shared a look and the masked superhero nodded morosely before stepping away. 

 

“Don’t hate me for this,” she whispered, so softly Alya almost didn’t hear her. 

 

_What does she mean ‘don’t hate her’ what else can I hate her for? What is she doing?_

 

“Transformation: release!”

 

There was a blinding light and Alya shielded her eyes. When the brightness died out, she blinked the spots out of her vision before looking up at where Ladybug was. 

 

Then her mind stopped working completely. 

 

She didn’t understand what was going on. She didn’t- it wasn’t _possible_ because there was _no way-_ and yet she was standing right there. 

 

Marinette.

 

Poor, adorable, innocent Marinette.

 

Her best friend who was as timid as a mouse, had a heart of gold but couldn’t talk to the boy she liked without getting tongue-tied. 

 

That very same girl that had - not ten seconds ago - been standing in a red-and-black jumpsuit, mask over her eyes and _what was going on?_

 

Once her mind caught up with her eyes, Alya took a step back, eyes downcast. _How could she?_ was her first thought, _she probably just sat back and laughed as I blindly searched around for Ladybug’s identity._

 

Betrayal shot through her like a bullet. She raised her head, fully intended to glare at Marinette before storming off angrily, but stopped short when she saw the expression on her face. 

 

Alya had seen Marinette like that quite a few times - that open, apologetic, defencelessly pleading stance, bright blue eyes on the brink of tears -but it was always because _Chloe did this,_ or _I did something stupid in front of Adrien again,_ she never thought that expression would be facing her one day. 

 

And yet here they were. 

 

“Alya _I’m so sorry,”_ Marinette burst, “it’s just, we didn’t even find out who each other were until the other week and if I told you I didn’t know whether you would announce it on your blog or just stop it completely, which would be too suspicious and you would be in danger too, and _I’m so sorry please don’t hate me.”_

 

The betrayal turned into guilt, the anger became bitter understanding. Alya hated that she made Marinette feel so anxious towards her - yes, it hurt that she hadn’t been trusted with this secret, but it was a golden rule of hers that _no one_ could make Marinette cry. 

 

_Especially_ not her. 

 

Alya slowly made her way over to the cowering girl and pulled her into a tight hug. _“I could never hate you,”_ she whispered. 

 

Marinette sagged against her friend’s form in relief, wrapping her arms around Alya happily. She glanced at Adrien over the brunette’s shoulder, and he smiled and threw her a thumbs up. 

 

“Wait a second,” Alya pulled back sharply, “does that mean the _‘mutual friend’_ you two have is Ladybug and Chat Noir?”

 

Marinette and Adrien shared a look, before nodding. 

 

“And every time you go missing it’s because you’re saving Paris?”

 

Another nod. 

 

Alya smirked and pointed at Marinette victoriously. “Ha! I _told_ you Chat Noir and Ladybug were together!” she gloated. 

 

Adrien came up behind his girlfriend and wrapped his arms around her. “When did you say we _weren’t_ together?” he asked her mischievously. 

 

“The day after we stayed up all night dancing on an abandoned rooftop,” Marinette drawled. 

 

“No excuses now, you have to tell me _all_ the details of how you to got together!”

 

Alya grabbed her friend’s hand and ran towards the door to the staircase, throwing a wink over her shoulder. Adrien smiled at the pair and waved, laughing at how Marinette was mouthing _‘save me’_ jokingly at him. 

 

He sighed happily and waited for a couple of moments before making his way to the stairs. 

 

Everything had turned out fine after all. 

 

———

 

“So, how did the fangirling go?” he asked a tired Marinette as she walked into school. 

 

She cupped a hand around her ear. “I’m sorry, could you repeat that?” she asked, leaning closer, “I think my eardrum’s been ruptured.”

 

Adrien laughed. “That bad huh?” he smiled. 

 

“I think we kept the entire street up with Alya’s screaming,” Marinette groaned sleepily, resting her head on his shoulder as they walked. 

 

“Glad I didn’t have to go through that,” he hummed, linking their fingers together. 

 

“I hate you.”

 

“No you don’t.”

 

Marinette laughed as the bell rang, and they moved towards the classroom, chatting about various things as they came into the topic. 

 

“You know,” Adrien remarked, “we haven’t even had a second date yet.”

 

“Haven’t we?” Marinette thought about it for a second, “no, I guess we haven’t.”

 

He winked. “Well that simply won’t do,” he told her. 

 

“This time, I get to choose the place though.”

 

“I look forward to it then,” Adrien chuckled. 

 

“You!” a voice exclaimed, and they whirled around to find Alya running up to them. 

 

_Oh god what did I do now?_ he thought to himself, _what did you tell her Marinette?_

 

“You smooth little son of a gun!”

 

_What?_

 

Marinette giggled next to him. 

 

“Are you serious Adrien? _Dance the night away, My Lady?”_ she asked him, _“how about we really give people something to take a picture of?_ Are you _freaking_ kidding me Agreste?”

 

Adrien blushed and shrugged helplessly. 

 

“Honestly, I don’t know why I let Mari go out with you.”

 

“You _let_ her go out with me?” he repeated. 

 

Alya sighed dramatically. “Bit slow aren’t you _kitty?”_ with that, she chuckled, patted him on the shoulder and walked into the classroom. 

 

“Something tells me this was a big mistake,” Adrien muttered. 

 

“Aw,” Marinette cooed, “you’re just upset because now there’s twice as many people to tease you.”

 

He laughed and touched their foreheads together. “Yes, but there’s only one person I can do _this_ to,” he murmured, before leaning down and pecking her on the lips. 

 

“Let’s get to class you flirt,” Marinette smiled, pushing him towards the door. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alya knows! Also, it might sound like the end of the fic and all but I can promise that it really isn’t.
> 
> Please tell me what you thought, any mistakes and if you have any prompts or anything you want to happen make sure to drop them my way!
> 
> As Always,
> 
> Thornsword.


	13. The Interview

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With Alya’s knew knowledge, there comes a problem: what are they going to do about her blog? Should she just stop? Or try to throw people off the trail??

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heyo!
> 
> I would just like to say that I am completely blown away by the feedback I have gotten from this. It’s amazing, thank you!!!
> 
> Pairing(s): Ladybug x Chat Noir/Marinette x Adrien
> 
> Word count: 1876
> 
> Warnings: OOC and kinda shit as usual
> 
> Disclaimer: Honestly if you’re looking for canon material you’re in the wrong place
> 
> Enjoy!

“So, Mari…” Alya whispered halfway through class, “about your little spotty secret…”

 

Marinette tore her eyes away from the board and stared at her friend suspiciously. “Yea…?” she replied.

 

“What are we going to do about my blog?” Alya asked softly, “it actually has a lot of followers now I’ll have you know so I can’t just _stop.”_

 

“I’m glad you think the lesson is so interesting girls!” the teacher exclaimed, interrupting their quiet murmuring. 

 

“Sorry,” they apologised in unison. 

 

Marinette scribbled down a quick note and slid it across the desk:

 

_Come to my house after school. I’ll bring Adrien and we can talk about it then._

 

———

 

“We don’t have a project,” Adrien said suspiciously, “so why did you just tell your parents that?”

 

Marinette turned around and lowered her phone. “Because we need to talk about _Alya’s blog,_ ” she reminded him slowly, taking his hand and walking out of school grounds, “and I know you don’t have anything on for at least another five hours so you can’t back out.”

 

“How did you know that?”

 

She paused for a second. 

 

“Magic.”

 

Adrien shrugged and just allowed himself to be directed through the winding streets of Paris. He still couldn’t believe the two people he just _happened_ to have a crush on ended up being the same person. He couldn’t believe that _Marinette_ was _Ladybug,_ but he was so happy she was. 

 

And really, it fit her perfectly. 

 

_Stop being so mushy,_ he scolded himself, _just because your girlfriend’s beautiful and amazing doesn’t mean you get to be mushy every time you’re with her._

 

There was a warm pressure on his cheek, and he realised that Marinette had kissed him. 

 

Adrien blinked down owlishly at her. 

 

“What?” she asked him innocently, “you weren’t paying attention.”

 

“Sorry,” he wasn’t and they both knew it, “what’s the project on again?”

 

Marinette glared at him playfully. “Oh, I don’t know. Nope. No idea.”

 

He sighed good-naturedly and stepped back as she moved to open the door. They greeted her parents in the bakery - Adrien still felt somewhat awkward after last time - and ran upstairs, where Alya was already waiting for them. 

 

She was spinning around on the desk chair and staring at her phone, grumbling as her thumb moved frantically around the screen.

 

“Alya…?” Marinette asked, and the brunette’s head shot up. 

 

“I haven’t made a post about Ladybug in like _two days,_ people are sending in messages!”

 

The couple shared a look. 

 

“Ok, so what do we do about this?” Adrien asked, flopping down on the beanbag and pulling his girlfriend down to sit in his lap. 

 

Marinette huffed at him. “Typical Chat,” she sighed, but didn’t make an attempt to move. 

 

He smiled and looped his arms around her. 

 

“You two are sickening,” Alya intoned, giggling slightly, “and what’s this I heard about your mum catching you two making out?”

 

The pair blushed bright red and avoided her gaze. 

 

“Oh, you’re making it too easy,” she laughed. 

 

_“Moving on,”_ Marinette said deliberately, “anyone got any ideas?”

 

Silence fell on the group. 

 

Then Alya shot out on the chair, a wild grin stretched across her face. 

 

Marinette was worried. 

 

“I could interview you!” she exclaimed. 

 

“No.”

 

Alya wasn’t deterred. “No but don’t you see - that would be a great way to explain my absence,” she continued, “plus you could explain why you don’t want anyone finding out your identity and bam! The Ladyblog just becomes a way to document Ladybug, instead of unmask her!” 

 

_I can’t believe I’m going to do this._

 

“Okay,” Marinette agreed, somewhat reluctantly.

 

She felt Adrien’s arms tense slightly. “Really?” he asked her, surprised. 

 

Marinette leaned back into him and rested her head on his shoulder. “It’s probably going to become unavoidable sooner or later,” she told him. 

 

He looked between the two girls for a moment. “Alright,” he relented, “I don’t like it though. Interviews suck.”

 

———

Alya was buzzing. 

 

She was finally going to get an interview with _Chat Noir_ and _Ladybug._ Okay, sure, she _might_ already know who they are, and it _might_ have been one of the only options they had, but whatever. 

 

Her inner fangirl was about to explode. 

 

The brunette was standing on a rooftop - oh yeah, _Ladybug had carried her -_ in the middle of Paris and she didn’t know whether to jump up and down with glee or stare in wonder at the view. 

 

There was the sound of footsteps on gravel, and Alya whirled around to see _Ladybug, The Ladybug_ standing behind her. 

 

“This is what you guys see _every day?”_ she asked in awe, and Ladybug giggled. 

 

“Pretty much.”

 

Alya had to keep reminding herself that this was _Marinette,_ as well as Ladybug, because the air of confidence, the way she moved through the air, her expression as she stared out at the skyline, hell, with that mask, she didn’t even _look_ like Marinette!

 

A pair of leather-swathed arms roped around Ladybug’s middle. 

 

“It’s been a while, _My Lady,”_ Chat Noir purred in her ear. 

 

Ladybug - unsuccessfully - fought off a blush. “It’s been a day, Chat,” she deadpanned. 

 

He laughed and turned towards Alya, who was gaping at them slightly. “Are we gonna do this?” he asked her, smirking slightly. 

 

“Uh, y-yes! Yes we are,” the girl stammered as she was jolted out of her fangirl-induced trance, “are there any questions I’m not allowed to ask?”

 

Ladybug paused for a moment. “Anything around our relationship, except things like, y’know, ‘do you work well together’ and stuff- wait no that’s a stupid question, I mean-“

 

“Basically stuff around us being together, or our identities,” Chat cut in. 

 

Alya smiled. Rambling was _definitely_ Marinette-esque. 

 

“Alright, well if you just wanna sit down over there,” she pointed to the raised ledge, “and I think I’ll just record it?”

 

The pair nodded, and Marinette smiled at the familiar professionalism seeping into her friend’s voice. 

 

Chat Noir sighed. “Let’s get this over with.”

 

Giggling, Alya took out her phone and pressed record. 

 

“Hello Ladyblog viewers!” she greeted, turning the camera towards herself, “today I am here with two of Paris’ best-known superheroes!”

 

“There are others?” Chat Noir intoned, bravado back in place and smirk upon his lips. 

 

Alya turned the camera on the pair. “Aw, I wanted to build it up more, but yes - here for an exclusive interview are Ladybug and Chat Noir,” she exclaimed. 

 

Ladybug waved awkwardly. 

 

“Ok, so, first of all,” Alya started, “why don’t you want anyone knowing your identities?”

 

Chat chuckled. “No beating around the bush with you is there?” he asked. 

 

“If Hawkmoth found out, he would just turn an akuma onto our families, and people would treat us differently,” Ladybug said, looking anywhere but the camera. 

 

“What’s up Shutterbug? Not fond of the camera?” he teased, sensing her unease. 

 

A blush crept up her neck. “No! I’m fine! Shut it Chat,” Ladybug spluttered. 

 

Alya laughed and zoomed in on Ladybug - _Marinette,_ god that was weird - despite how awkward she looked. 

 

“Is he always like this?”

 

The spotted superhero sighed. “Unfortunetely, yes,” she glared playfully at her partner, “he’s insufferable.”

 

“I resent that,” Chat retorted. 

 

“You should.”

 

Alya zoomed out. 

 

“So how did you two meet?” 

 

This was a question she had been dying to ask for ages now - no one had a recording of their first fight, or their first interactions and she _needed_ to know. 

 

The pair looked at each other and burst out laughing. 

 

“It wasn’t even fighting an akuma!” Ladybug giggled, “I was jumping around the rooftops - just getting used to my powers and stuff - and I stopped near the Eiffel Tower and was just kinda staring at it because _wow I have superpowers_ and then-“

 

“And I saw her flying around,” Chat Noir cut off, “so after she stops I go up to her and say ‘hi’ and she _falls off the roof in shock_ and neither of us knew how to use anything back then, so she was flailing around with her yo-yo and I dove after her, not even _knowing_ what I was doing.”

 

They dissolved into laughter, and Alya spluttered slightly. Admittedly, this was _not_ the disney-style first battle she had pictured. 

 

That was more _‘hey it’s the first time we’ve met but we seem to know exactly what the others gonna do and for some reason I trust you and you’re cute so’_ than ‘ _what the hell are we doing.’_

 

“Long story short, we both end up tangled up and hanging upside-down from the roof,” Chat told her, wiping tears of mirth from his eyes, “ah, I guess it’s funner when you know all the things that happened from there.”

 

“What happened from there?” Alya immediately asked. 

 

Ladybug and Chat Noir shared a look once again. 

 

“Now _that_ is a long story,” Ladybug smiled secretly, “one that would take too long to tell.”

 

The brunette narrowed her eyes at their innocent expressions. “Okay… so what _was_ your first time fighting an akuma like?”

 

“Awful, I got hit in the head with a yo-yo _so many times,”_ Chat whined, “but I was awesome.”

 

“Before or after you used cataclysm on a park bench?”

 

“S-shut up!”

 

Ladybug laughed and Chat’s gaze softened. He almost leaned in to kiss her on the cheek, but remembered the camera was still on them. 

 

He hated interviews. 

 

———

 

“And that just about wraps it up!” Alya exclaimed happily, “Thanks for watching!”

 

Chat Noir sighed in relief. “Thank _god,”_ he moaned, “that took _forever.”_

 

“It did not,” Ladybug retorted, pushing him playfully. 

 

He stuck his tongue out at her maturely. 

 

“It did.”

 

She stood up and held her hands out. “It really didn’t Kitty.”

 

Chat grasped her hands and pulled himself up. “Well hello there,” he murmured, noses almost touching and fingers tangled together, “I didn’t realise how hard it would be not to kiss you for ten minutes.”

 

Ladybug smiled and lifted her heels off the ground slowly, bringing them closer together. 

 

“The interview’s over now,” she breathed. 

 

“Was that an invitation, My Lady?” he smirked. 

 

Their lips had barely grazed when there was the sound of a camera going off and a _flash_ making black spots dance across his vision. 

 

The pair broke apart hastily. _Oh yea,_ Chat remembered, _we aren’t alone on the roof._

 

Alya held up her camera victoriously. “Although it’s kind of weird now that I know your identities,” she started innocently, “I still rather like the picture.”

 

“Alya! Delete it!” Ladybug called, darting at her friend. 

 

“No way!” the brunette giggled, “it’s cute!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lmao what’s a conclusion. 
> 
> Please tell me what you thought, any mistakes I made or any prompts you might have for me!
> 
> As always,
> 
> Thornsword.


	14. Impromptu Modelling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It’s a stupidly hot day, and Alya and Marinette have gone to the beach. Which just so happens to be the same beach Adrien’s doing a photoshoot. But Alya didn’t plan this. Nope. Not at all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heyo!
> 
> Like two people have asked for a beach trip chapter so merry christmas.
> 
> Also, I apologise.
> 
> Pairing(s): Marinette x Adrien/Ladybug x Chat Noir
> 
> Word count: 1159
> 
> Warnings: This one is so fucking OOC I’m about to claw my eyes out.
> 
> Disclaimer: OOC means out of character, and if I owned Ladybug nothing would be out of character, so I think that might be a bit of an indication.
> 
> Enjoy!
> 
> (A huge thank you to Sashiro for making this less shit)

Adrien sighed. It was _so hot_ and he was just about ready to melt. 

 

“Alright!” the photographer clapped his hands, “that’s it for the board shorts, take ten and we’ll get set up for the next one!”

 

He stared out at the sea wistfully as people bustled around him. Natalie placed a hand on his shoulder and steered the model to a table with a bottle of water and a sandwich on it. 

 

“Thanks,” Adrien sighed, uncapping the water and taking a long sip, “why do we have to be on an _actual_ beach? Couldn’t we just fill the floor with sand?”

 

She shrugged. “Authenticity.”

 

“Do I get to go in the water after this at least?”

 

“No.”

 

Groaning, Adrien slumped back into the fold-up chair. “But it’s so _hot,”_ he moaned. 

 

“You don’t have time to go in the sea - there’s a photoshoot for another magazine after this.”

 

“Ok, ok fine,” he relelnted, before standing up and grabbing the bottle of water, “can I at least leave the tent? It’s getting really stuffy.”

 

Natalie paused for a moment. “Ok, fine, but be back in seven minutes,” she told him. 

 

“Thanks!” Adrien cheered, before running out. 

 

———

 

“Why did we have to go to this beach Alya?” Marinette asked curiously, “it’s so far away.”

 

A soft wind blew through her loose white blouse, the only coverage she had from the red-and-black spotted bikini that Alya insisted she wear.

 

“The view’s nicer,” the brunette replied simply, dumping her bag in the sand. Alya was wearing a purple one piece with the sides cut out, and a wide-brimmed hat shaded her face. 

 

“Nicer? There’s a big white tent-thing ten metres away from us,” Marinette deadpanned. 

 

“Is there? Wow I didn’t notice that.”

 

She raised an eyebrow. Alya was up to something. Obviously the tent-thing had something to do with it but _what,_ what could it _possibly_ contain to have her smiling like that?

 

“Do you want to have a look? I bet it’ll be interesting…”

 

She shrugged, and placed her bag down on the sand as well. “Maybe later, I just want to put on my swim shirt, get my sunscreen on and go in the water.”

 

Slightly disheartened, Alya got out the SPF 35+ and tossed it to her friend. “But come on Mari! You’re wearing a _Ladybug_ bikini!” she protested. 

 

“It’s still a bikini.”

 

“Don’t care. Just put loads of sunscreen on.”

 

Marinette glared at her friend playfully before taking the white blouse off and rubbing some sunscreen onto her shoulders. 

 

Alya giggled.“We _will_ be checking that out later though,” she warned playfully. 

 

“I don’t trust whatever you have planned, but ok,” Marinette replied simply.

 

“Whatever do you mean? I don’t have anyth-“

 

“Marinette?” came a familiar voice from behind her. 

 

She turned around automatically, and her eyes widened. 

 

Standing there - _sans shirt ;jvn;ublhsblat -_ was Adrien. 

 

“A-Adrien?!” Marinette stuttered - wow she hadn’t done that in a while - “What are y-you doing here?”

 

It seemed like her gaze had been permanently glues to his chest because _she couldn’t stop staring._

 

“I- uh - I have a photoshoot. Here, at the beach… for swimwear.”

 

“We can see that kitty-cat,” Alya giggled. 

 

Adrien was having the same dilemma as Marinette because she had abs and he really couldn’t think straight when he was around _normally,_ but _now…_

 

“We’re just over there, in the tent thing,” he gestured vaguely to the area, tearing his eyes away from his girlfriend, “but what are you two doing here? There’s like, five closer beaches - not that I mind or anything.”

 

He winked at Marinette, then cursed Chat Noir for doing something so stupid. 

 

She blushed bright red, and Chat Noir smirked. 

 

“W-well, that _is_ an interesting question, isn’t it _Alya?”_

 

The brunette grinned somewhat sheepishly. “Busted.”

 

A lithe man wearing a black tank top and grey shorts placed a hand on Adrien’s shoulder.

 

“Adrien, we might have to start early - the female model cancelled at the last minute so we’re trying to compensate,” he said gruffly, “oh, I’m sorry - are you Adrien’s fans?”

 

Marinette shook her head. “Well, I mean, of course we are but-“

 

“Say, you’ve got quite a good figure,” he interrupted, “ever think about a career in modelling?”

 

Her cheeks burned bright red as she froze, eyes wide in surprise.

 

“I bet she could fill in for the other model,” Adrien said casually, a smirk stretched across his lips. 

 

“Not a chance Kitty,” Marinette glared at him, “I mean-“

 

“She’ll do it!”

 

Marinette whirled around to face Alya. “No I can’t! I-“

 

“Brilliant, just follow me and we’ll get you dressed up,” the man grinned as he turned and trudged across the sand and back towards the tent. 

 

Adrien winked at Alya - who threw him a thumbs up back - and took hold of Marinette’s hand before following the photographer. 

 

“I hate you,” she sighed, “I can’t do things in front of a camera!”

 

He held up the canvas flap that covered the entrance. “You’ll be fine,” Adrien leaned down to whisper in her ear, _“Ladybug.”_

 

———

 

Marinette stared at the glossy magazine page in awe. 

 

There she was, winking cheekily at the camera while she linked arms with Adrien. She was wearing a pastel blue bikini with almost-transparent purple sarong wrapped around her waist.

 

“See? I told you you’d look fantastic!” Alya grinned excitedly. 

 

Marinette smiled back at her. Arms roped around her shoulders and she was pulled into someone’s chest. 

 

“Quite an amazing debut if I don’t say so myself,” Adrien purred in her ear, making shivers dance down her spine. 

 

There was the telltale sound of high heeled boots and the trio found themselves pushed apart by a furious Chloe.

 

“The hell is this?” she exclaimed, “How _dare_ you model for Agreste fashion with Adrien before _me?”_

 

Marinette was flabbergasted. “I’m sorry… What?”

 

“Just you wait, _Marinette Dupain-Cheng,”_ Chloe snarled, “I knew you were stupid before, but _now_ you have declared war!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What a surprise, I brought Chloe back as the villain. 
> 
> Please tell me what you thought bc I love feedback more than pizza, any mistakes I made or if you have any prompts for future chapters!
> 
> As always,
> 
> Thornsword.


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Summary: Gabriel Agreste is rude, Chloe is rude and things start getting a little heated.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heyo!!
> 
> Fuck I wrote angst. 
> 
> Also, I didn't mention it before, but people actually drew fanart of this fic. Which completely blows me away bc doing art takes effort and time and a couple of people actually spent both of those things to create something based on something I wrote and I’m just amazed. 
> 
> Pairing(s): Adrien x Marinette/Chat Noir x Ladybug
> 
> Word count: 1039
> 
> Warnings: shitty
> 
> Disclaimer: lmao I ain’t talented enough for that
> 
> Enjoy!

((people drew fanart I can't breath [x](http://thornsword.tumblr.com/post/134169684561/sayitlikeyouregoingtocomeback-marinette-in-her) [x](http://loci-draws.tumblr.com/post/133673135332/thornsword-ur-fic-is-trash-in-the-best-ways-also) ))

 

Adrien felt uneasy. 

 

He had no reason to be, there was nothing to suggest that this particular Tuesday was going to be the day the fire nation attacked, but here he was. 

 

Adrien shook his head and shouldered his back before making his way to the front door. 

 

“I’ll see you at twelve Natalie,” he waved, placing one hand on the door. 

 

“Wait,” she interrupted, “Mr. Agreste wants to see you before you go to school.”

 

Ah, there it was. 

 

Nothing good ever came from his father needing to see him - whether it was to tell him to pick up the slack, or to demand that he cut Nino out of his life - and Adrien couldn’t help the sickening anxiety in his stomach as he climbed the stairs. 

 

He knocked on the door to his father’s office. “You wanted to see me?” he asked tentatively. 

 

“Come in.”

 

Adrien opened the door, and his father gestured to the seat in front of his desk. The seat was plush, and Adrien seemed to sink into it. His father gave him a hard stare and Adrien wished he could sink into the soft green fabric. 

 

“Why is it,” Mr. Agreste started, “that the tabloids knew about your girlfriend before I did?”

 

A magazine was slammed into the desk, making a sharp slap that made Adrien wince. He stared at the title and groaned. 

 

_ADRIEN AGRESTE’S NEW GIRLFRIEND??_

_Teen model’s new lover - page 20_

 

“Read it,” his father demanded. 

 

Adrien gingerly picked up the glossy magazine like it was a ticking time bomb. He flipped to page 20 and felt like banging his head on the table. There were all sorts of pictures from the recent swimwear shoot - but only one, maybe two that they posed for. 

 

The rest were of him and Marinette acting as they usually would. 

 

That is to say, like a couple. 

 

There were snapshots of them cuddling, Marinette blushing as he handed her the next outfit, him kissing her on the cheek, the list went on and on and Adrien didn’t know what to think. 

 

_Last Sunday was the photoshoot for the new line of Agreste swimwear - naturally, starring our favourite cutie, Adrien Agreste - but when model Lucy Brown cancelled the shoot seemed destined to go down in flames! Lo and behold, Adrien Agreste - according to eye witnesses - convinced a random girl to model with him._

 

_But was she as random as reported? She and Adrien were seen getting_ very _close behind the scenes and even sharing a few pecks here and there, which leads us to-_

 

Adrien closed his eyes and swallowed thickly. He set the magazine down on the desk and stared down at his lap, cursing every decision that made him ever think dragging Marinette into the world of media and tabloids was a good idea. 

 

“I was going to tell you, I swear!”

 

That was a lie. He wanted to keep Marinette a secret from his father for as long as possible. 

 

“Stop lying to me Adrien,” his father commanded icily, “you’re going to be late for school. We’ll talk about this later.”

 

Adrien felt like there was two tonnes of lead in his chest, weighing him down as he got out of the chair and made his way down the stairs. 

 

———

 

Marinette was worried. 

 

She had been looking at her phone for at least two hours straight, refreshing her messages over and over again because _what was Chloe going to do??_

 

Marinette had no doubts that _the mayor’s daughter_ could easily find a picture of what her room used to look like, or get footage of the time she bumped into a window of a shop because she thought it was a door or when she transformed into Ladybug _behind a park bench honestly what was she thinking-_

 

Message from ALYA:

 

_Stop worrying._

 

Marinette sighed. How did she _always_ know?

 

_I will. See you at school._

 

She turned off her phone and shoved it into her pocket before tying up her hair in pigtails, grabbing her bag and making her way downstairs. 

 

“Bye mum, by dad!” she yelled over her shoulder, pushing open the bakery door and stepped out onto the street.

 

When she was about halfway to school, her phone started ringing. 

 

“Alya?” she asked, “what’s wrong?”

 

“I just overheard Chloe tell Sabrina to tail you for the entire day!”

 

Was that all? Marinette shrugged - it wasn’t like having those two keep a close eye on her was anything new.

 

“So? What’s the big deal?” 

 

Alya groaned audibly. “Don’t you understand Mari?” she exclaimed, “You won’t be able to turn into Ladybug while she’s around!”

 

Marinette stopped dead in her tracks. 

 

“Damn,” she cursed, before closing her eyes for a couple of seconds, ”alright, I’ll see you in a bit. Bye Alya.”

 

Judging from Chloe’s incessant hatred for her, this could go on a while… but then there was her short attention span… so maybe a week? Two??

 

Marinette sighed in exasperation. Why couldn’t a girl just be a secret insect-themed superhero in peace?

 

She shook her head and started walking again, picking up her pace a bit. 

 

As soon as the school building came into view, Marinette saw the redheaded girl hiding behind some bushes, glaring determinedly in her direction. 

 

This was going to be a pain. 

 

“Hey Marinette!” Adrien called, a faux smile on his lips, “can I talk to you for a second?”

 

“Sure.”

 

As she moved towards him, she heard Sabrina get out of the bushes and duck behind the wall, clearly listening. 

 

Adrien pulled her over to the side and dropped the grin. Anxiety fizzed away like sherbet in her stomach and it felt like Sabrina’s stare burned into the back of her skull. 

 

“Before you say anything,” Marinette gushed, “I just wanted to make sure it wasn’t about… _your cat_ or anything… because of _the circumstances.”_

 

She gestured behind her and mouthed _‘someone’s listening.’_

 

Adrien’s eyes lit up in recognition and he shook his head. “No, it’s not - as amazing as he is,” he smirked, and Marinette rolled her eyes, “It’s… my father.”

 

Those words alone sent chills down her spine and she swallowed wetly. 

 

“He saw the article, and he wants to meet you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologise for this chapter taking so long - it’s because the arc I thought of was going to mean the end of this fic and I didn’t want that to happen so I spent like three days trying to find a way to get around that.
> 
> Please tell me what you thought, if I made any major mistakes or if you have any prompts for me!
> 
> (Also, if anyone makes fanart tag me pls pls pls I love seeing it soooo much)
> 
> As always,
> 
> Thornsword


	16. Ladybug?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marinette is terrified - what is she meant to do? Say? - but a few comforting words and a DDR challenge from her boyfriend is all she needs (In other news, Adrien has a DDR machine???)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heyo!
> 
> So This might be the last update until Christmas, because I’m doing the Miraculous Secret Santa (which I’m hyped for) and it goes without saying but a huuuuge thank you to tempmlss for organising everything after it all went to shit. 
> 
> Ship(s): Marinette x Adrien/Ladybug x Chat Noir
> 
> Word count: 1480
> 
> Warnings: too OOC to even fathom and quite shit
> 
> Disclaimer: if Miraculous Ladybug was made by me I seriously doubt anyone would watch it
> 
> Enjoy! (also sorry for the lateness)

 

_“He saw the article, and he wants to meet you.”_

 

Marinette didn’t know what to say. 

 

_It’s okay? I’m scared? What’s he gonna do? How long can I avoid him? What’s the best thing to do? Can I run away now please?_

 

But those were all questions. She needed something to _say,_ not something that would just complicate everything further - she could see how worried Adrien was - but something to say. 

 

“Okay, how bad could it be?”

 

Dammit Mari _that was a question._

 

Adrien took her hands and it was like his anxiety was a toxic gas in the air, settling heavily in her lungs.

 

“Marinette, you _know_ how strict he is,” Adrien said helplessly. 

 

“Yea I know, that was a dumb question,” she sighed, resting her forehead on his shoulder, “so what - are you going to have to teach me the proper etiquette I need to seem educated enough?”

 

Adrien chuckled. “This isn’t the eighteenth century.”

 

Marinette looked up, a blush flitting across her cheeks. “Yea well…if it was, at least I’d know what I’m supposed to say,” she retorted. 

 

“Hey,” he murmured, looping an arms around her and pulling her close, “you’ll be fine, we’re probably worrying over nothing.”

 

———

 

They weren’t worrying over nothing. 

 

That fact became painfully apparent as soon as the pair walked into class. 

 

“Oh _Marinette,”_ Chloe crooned, sidling in close, “I heard Mr. Agreste wants to meet you.”

 

She scowled. “That’s right.”

 

The rich girl smirked haughtily. “Oh good luck with that - he has _extremely_ high standards,” she said with faux sympathy, “so high in fact, I think you’ll find it quite hard to touch them.”

 

Something inside Marinette dropped to her feet. 

 

“But I wish you all the best, _of course.”_

 

With that, Chloe Bourgeois and her sniggering shadow walked off. 

 

There was a warm pressure on Marinette’s shoulder. Adrien had slung his arm around her. “Don’t worry about Chloe, she’s still touchy about the magazine thing,” he murmured, the tone sending waves of warmth and reassurance through her. 

 

Marinette sighed. 

 

“Okay,” she whispered to herself. 

 

She was Ladybug, and Ladybug _did not_ get disheartened from a spoilt girl in class. 

 

She could do this. 

 

———

 

She couldn’t do this she couldn’t do this _what was she thinking?_

 

They were standing outside the - rather intimidating now that she wasn’t here for a party _can I go home now please -_ double doors. Natalie, Mr. Agreste’s assistant had answered the bell and Marinette knew there would never be a time where that stern disposition and that permanently-pissed-off tone wouldn’t scare her. 

 

The doors opened, and Natalie seemed rather small next to them. 

 

“Mr. Agreste will be a bit late,” was all she said before turning around and walking back inside. 

 

“Natalie,” Adrien called, taking the steps two at a time, “how… um, how late exactly.”

 

“Late enough to be late, but not late enough for you to fool around,” she said, the words spilling out of the corner of her mouth disdainfully. 

 

Marinette’s cheeks grew hot and she stared at the ground. 

 

“Natalie,” Adrien warned. 

 

He grabbed Marinette’s hand and followed his father’s secretary up the stairs. “I’m going to show her my room,” he announced once they got inside, “am I allowed to do that or does _my father_ not want _my girlfriend_ to see any part of the house.”

 

Said girlfriend was too busy gawping at the sheer _size_ and _luxury_ of everything to notice the tense exchange. There was a slight tug on her hand and she snapped out of her awe-filled stupor, following Adrien up the winding staircase, completely ignoring Natalie’s “Well, _now that you mention it…”_

 

She craned her head left and right, trying to take in all the framed artwork, monochrome wallpaper, conversation pieces _and oh, the design of it all!_ Marinette was sure she could fill a whole sketchbook just from the aesthetic of this house. 

 

“You’re gonna get whiplash if you keep doing that,” Adrien smirked, and she blushed slightly. 

 

“I can’t help it,” she gushed, “everything’s so amazing.”

 

They stopped outside a door. “Yes well, my father is first and foremost a designer,” he stated, entering the room and turning around to see Marinette’s reaction. 

 

At first, she was smiling, jaw beginning to ache from being kept open so long, then it snapped shut, her posture slouching and expression screaming _are you kidding me??_

 

“You have _four_ flatscreens? And a _rock climbing wall?_ Is that a skate ramp? And I swear _if that’s a dance pad…”_

 

Well that was unexpected. 

 

Not that he had much data to go on, however. Chloe had walked in, rolled her eyes and sat down on his computer chair to inspect her nails. 

 

“That’s what happens when you’re father’s rich, _My Lady,”_ he laughed, “but - speaking of my father - I bet I can crush you on DDR before he comes.”

 

That did it. The nervous, tentative aura that had overshadowed her since this morning dissipated and her eyes flitted over to the machine. The line between Marinette and Ladybug blurred.

 

“You sure about that _Kitty?”_

 

His cocky smirk widened and they both rushed over to the console. 8-bit-esque music was blasting from the - completely oversized, in Marinette’s opinion - and the level options were displayed in vibrant, neon colours. Difficult, of course. Ladybug and Chat Noir had no time for _beginner._

 

_“Ready — Set — DANCE”_

 

Before either of them could make a move, there was a knock on the door. “I told you,” Natalie drawled, “not late enough for you to fool around.”

 

A thousand missed steps appeared on the screen, but Marinette couldn’t find it in her to care. The sick, anxious feeling had crawled itself back into her stomach and it wasn’t moving any time soon. 

 

She glanced at Adrien worriedly, and he returned the look. He took her hand in his and laced their fingers together before stepping off the machine - the music was _far_ too happy for this situation - and together they made their way out of the room. 

 

———

 

When Gabriel Agreste had found out his son had a girlfriend - _and after the media no less -_ he was furious. 

 

He had spent so many years investing in that boy’s future; getting him the best tutors, turning him into a model at the age of eight, introducing him to the Chloe Bourgeois, the best _girlfriend_ candidate he had found, buying him _so many_ toys and trinkets and _what_ did he do?

 

Adrien demanded to be sent to _normal school,_ he wanted _breaks from work,_ he grew _bored_ of his toys and, worst of all, fell for and _untalented, poor, annoying gold-digger!_

 

To make matters _worse,_ that blasted Ladybug and her headache of a sidekick _still_ had their Miraculous. 

 

_Mine mine mine they should be mine by now how could they how dare they-_

 

_Patience,_ he reminded himself, breathing out through his nose slowly, _patience is key._

 

“We’re here sir,” the chauffeur announced monotonously, and he got out of the car. 

 

Mr. Agreste straightened his tie - out of habit more than anything else - and stepped up to the front door, which promptly swung open. 

 

The first thing he saw was Natalie, his expressionless secretary, standing ramrod straight. “Welcome home, Mr. Agreste,” she greeted monotonously, “the cooks have almost finished.”

 

In his peripheral vision, he saw the familiar colours of Ladybug and Chat Noir. Gabriel Agreste immediately tensed and his head whipped around to look at the superhero duo. 

 

_How did they find me,_ he thought furiously, _how could they possibly have- what?_

 

Standing across the entranceway from him, were not Ladybug and Chat Noir, but indeed Adrien - _his son, Adrien -_ and the girlfriend, Marinette Dupain-Cheng. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Return of the cliffhangers! I now have an ending planned out for this story so the chapters are numbered people!
> 
> Please tell me what you thought bc I love feedback more than, like, cake, I’ll try to fix up any mistakes (if I can be bothered) and if you’ve got any prompts feel free to drop them my way! ^u^
> 
> As always,
> 
> Thornsword.


	17. He Knows

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> No, this isn’t happening. His son, the boy he had raised to be obedient and perfect was not Chat Noir and that girl was not Ladybug.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heyo!
> 
> So this has been a long time coming - I said it would be up soon after Christmas and it’s fucking F e b r u a r y sorry about that >__

 

_Standing across the entranceway from him, were not Ladybug and Chat Noir, but indeed Adrien - his son, Adrien - and the girlfriend, Marinette Dupain-Cheng._

 

Gabriel Agreste shook his head- _no, that was stupid. They aren’t even wearing the same colours!_

 

But… if you just put a mask on both of them… gave Adrien Chat’s ears and suit… 

 

_No._

 

His son was _not_ the very _nuisance_ he had been trying to stop from day one. 

 

Dinner was served, and Mr. Agreste’s senses were stretched thin. He was listening to every muttered word that passed between them, observing every small gesture and taking in every facial expression. 

 

So far, his suspicions could be passed of as paranoia. 

 

Yes. That’s all it was. 

 

Paranoia. 

 

“Oh really _kitty?”_

 

His head snapped up incredulously. 

 

Adrien laughed at the pet name - no pun intended _for gods sake -_ and nudged her slightly. 

 

“Yes,” he replied, “I am, as a matter of fact, a _purr-fect_ fencer.”

 

“Adrien,” Mr. Agreste interrupted on instinct, “what have I told you about boasting? And speak properly.”

 

“Yes father.”

 

They were holding hands under the table. She was smiling at him as if Gabriel Agreste had said something wrong. How _dare_ she. 

 

Ladybug. 

 

It wasn’t just overactive paranoia anymore - it could actually be _true._

 

His blood ran cold. 

 

Adrien. 

 

_His son,_ Adrien. The Adrien that he had raised all by himself, after… after _that woman_ left them. This _Marinette Dupain-Cheng_ had _corrupted_ his son. She had _taken_ the perfect boy he had raised and turned him into… into _Chat Noir._

 

Oh this would not stand. 

 

“So, Ms. Dupain-Cheng-“

 

“Aah! Marinette’s fine! Mr. Agreste- sir!”

 

He scowled. She interrupted him, just for an _informality?_

 

_“Ms. Dupain-cheng,”_ he repeated, and she sunk down in her seat, “what do you like doing in your spare time?”

 

She refused to meet his eyes. She was scared. 

 

_Good._

 

Gabriel Agreste was going to take back his perfect son from her taloned clutch if it was the _last_ thing he did. 

 

“I- err, I help my parents in- ah with the bread and _needles_ and- oh yea the hat!”

 

———

 

Marinette wanted to crawl into a very deep hole and never come out. Ever. 

 

Adrien squeezed her hand, the warmth of his palm radiating onto the back of her hand. She focused on that. 

 

“I… help my parents out with the bakery,” she repeated, “and I… I like to sew?”

 

She didn’t like the expression Mr. Agreste was making. It looked like he had decided to _absolutely hate_ her before she had even opened her mouth. 

 

Lowering her gaze, Marinette tried to focus on Adrien’s hand on hers again. 

 

“Ah yes, you’re well aware that Adrien has been trained from a young age to have a very good eye for fashion?”

 

She nodded. 

 

Mr. Agreste turned to his son. “And what do you think of her designs?”

 

“I think they’re amazing.”

 

Marinette’s eyes widened and she looked up at Adrien, who smiled back at her and something akin to _relief_ and _gratefulness_ welled up in her chest. 

 

“They are without flaw?”

 

The moment they had made was broken, the dark, looming walls of the dining room crashing back down around her. 

 

“Well… _no,_ but-“

 

“Then I’m sure they’re nothing special,” Mr. Agreste - for lack of a better word - shrugged, taking a bit of his steak. 

 

He might as well have stabbed her through the heart. Quick and clean and _merciless._

 

_Stop overreacting. He hasn’t even seen the designs._

 

“They-“ 

 

“Adrien,” Mr. Agreste interrupted, “what have I told you about lowering your voice at the dinner table?”

 

Adrien sunk back into his seat, the grip on Marinette’s hand tighter than before. 

 

It was comforting. 

 

Silence draped over them like a heavy blanket, only the sounds of scraping cutlery and the odd glass being put down on the table. 

 

Mr. Agreste’s expression of slight distaste, as if he had been presented with a particularly _nasty_ concept art. 

 

It was all haughtiness and anger and… _disgust,_ and Marinette didn’t know what she did. 

 

“And your grades?” he asked, as if the previous lapse in tense conversation had never happened. 

 

“They’re good,” she replied in a small voice. 

 

_“Good?”_

 

“I- um, get mostly B-pluses or A-minuses,” Marinette clarified. 

 

A small upturn of his lips. Mr. Agreste was _smirking,_ and not in the cocky/adorable way Chat Noir did it. 

 

“Adrien here gets only A-pluses,” he said confidently, “he’s had only the best tutors prior to his… _public education.”_

 

Was he trying to remind her how much she didn’t deserve him? Because she _definitely_ already knew. 

 

“Father,” Adrien said, his voice hard. 

 

_“Don’t you use that tone with me son.”_

 

Downcast gaze. Grip tightening. “Sorry.”

 

Dinner concluded in a silence that wasn’t awkward or tense, although it certainly could have been, but more _anticipation._

 

Mr. Agreste had more to say. That much she could tell. 

 

Desert arrived, and Marinette braced herself for more barbed words. 

 

She was not disappointed;

 

“I hear your friend runs the ladyblog… sounds tiring to have to run after a fangirl all the time, doesn’t it?”

 

Ok, _now_ she was mad. 

 

“Alya’s not a fangirl!” Marinette exclaimed, slamming both hands on the table and standing up, her stomach churning.

 

The corners of his mouth lifted. A smirk. 

 

“Of course she isn’t,” he mocked amicably, “did you want to suggest a better word?”

 

Marinette glared at the man she once looked up to. “She’s a _journalist!”_ she gasped, “you can’t call someone like that, who spends a hell of a lot of time unraveling everything Ladybug says in order to find out her identity, who gets in front of all the other big-time reporters to snag an interview a _fangirl_ in such a way!”

 

Something was expanding in her chest, making her insides burn brighter and brighter with rage, her mouth was going faster than her mind and she was honestly surprised she was speaking in coherent sentences. 

 

“Yes I can.”

 

The volcano inside of her erupted, and there was a great flash of light. At first she thought she was hallucinating - _‘seeing red’_ or something of the sort - but when the light faded, right where Gabriel Agreste had been standing was _Hawkmoth._

 

Her mind was reeling and all Marinette could think of was: _??? ? ??_ ** _???_**

 

Then it clicked. It clicked with such horror and certainty and shock that she had to take a step back. 

 

_No._

 

_No it can’t be!_

 

_It can’t be but it is and what is happening??!_

 

A black butterfly hovered in front of her face, but she wasn’t filled with the usual all-consuming hate that she usually associated with the vile creature. Instead, she held out her hand, slowly extending her fingers towards the strangely… _mesmerising…_

 

_“No!”_ Adrien yelled, sprinting towards her. 

 

“Marinette _don’t!”_ Tikki screamed, panic making her fly out of the purse she left on the seat and tried to reach the girl.

 

But they were both too late.

 

It only took a fraction of a second.

 

Pale fingers brushed soft, black wings and all hell broke loose. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I need to fucking stop with the cliffhangers like I am genuinely sorry I can’t think of a better way to end the chapters. You won't have to sit through it for much longer though bc there's only like three chapters to go.
> 
> Please tell me what you thought, if I made any big mistakes and if you’ve got any prompts feel free to drop them my way!!
> 
> As always,
> 
> Thornsword


	18. Bottled Up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gabriel Agreste. His father. Hawkmoth. Adrien could call that man a number of things, but all he could do right now was yell.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heyo!
> 
> This is like my second chapter in a couple of hours. If only my motivation for all my fics was this good rn. 
> 
> Warnings: unedited, OOC
> 
> Disclaimer: hah a hA H A no.
> 
> Enjoy!

 

_Pale fingers brushed soft, black wings and all hell broke loose._

 

“Marinette!” Adrien cried. 

 

Hawkmoth laughed. “I was right!” he exclaimed, “I was right and I will _end_ little escapade as Chat Noir. You will no longer defy me!”

 

The girl - someone who was _definitely not_ Marinette and _definitely not_ Ladybug - stood up, the spots on what used to be Ladybug’s costume warped, stretching around her body, pulsing and writhing. 

 

Adrien could feel his heart aching. It was like someone had blasted a hole clean through, not just because she was his girlfriend, but because she was his _friend,_ and his _partner_ and his _escape_ and his whole world was currently collapsing around him so could the universe please _just give him a minute._

 

“Marinette Dupain-Cheng,” his father sighed, “who would have thought… now, if you would be so kind as to take the impending battle _out_ of my dining room…”

 

“Hmph, whatever,” Not-Marinette spat, walking out of the room.

 

Tikki let out a cry and flew up to Marinette’s cheek. “No! You have to fight it!” she exclaimed desperately. 

 

“Fight what?” she replied, batting the kwami away harshly, “I’m done with everything. I’m done with being this city’s precious _Ladybug,_ I’m done with letting people talk crap to me, I’m done with _everything!_ This whole thing was a mistake. If I could go back, I would never have put the earrings on in the first place.

 

A single tear fell down her cheek, but she made no move to wipe it away and Adrien doubted if she even noticed. 

 

_Ladybug…_

 

“I can make it like it never happened, if that’s what you want,” his father crooned. 

 

She nodded, glaring at the wall.

 

“Good - get me Chat Noir’s Miraculous and all your problems will be erased.”

 

“Chat Noir?” she scoffed aloud, her gaze shifting to him, “Easy.”

 

Adrien swallowed thickly. “Marinette…”

 

“That girl is _gone!”_ she cried, “I am Warp, and if you’re not to _scared,_ kitty cat, come join me on the Eiffel Tower.”

 

With that, she ran outside and launched herself onto an unseen rooftop. 

 

The Eiffel Tower. What a kick in the stomach. 

 

The very place where they… where they… where _everything_ started. 

 

And _his father._

 

Adrien whirled around to face the villain they had been fighting all these years. 

 

Adrien whirled around to face his father in a mask.

 

How very Star Wars-esque. 

 

“It’s _you,”_ he gasped after a beat of silence, “it’s been _you_ all this time, amplifying people’s negative emotions until they became the worst possible version of themselves?”

 

“Yes,” Hawkmoth said. 

 

_Yes,_ his father said, as if he had done _nothing wrong._

 

“You turned her - turned Ladybug, turned _Marinette -_ into _that!”_ his voice was steadily getting louder and louder and Adrien didn’t know how much filtering he could do before he hit something, “can you even imagine what she must be _feeling?_ Especially after you _literally_ attacked her!”

 

“She has distracted you!” his father yelled back, “you were such a good son before this- was _Ladybug_ the reason you wanted to go to _school?_ Is this why you’ve missed photoshoots lately?!”

 

“I wanted to go to school because that’s what _normal kids do!_ And I may have been a good son, but I was _miserable!_ You planned- _are still planning_ my whole life out for me! Do you have any idea what that’s _like?”_

 

They both glared at each other, chests rising and falling rapidly. 

 

Adrien tore his eyes away first. 

 

_“Plagg! Transform me!”_

 

Gabriel Agreste - _Hawkmoth -_ looked on impassively as his only son transformed into _the sidekick_ of the biggest annoyance in Paris. 

 

Green eyes stared into grey, a million words held in the gaze. 

 

“I always knew you had too much of your mother in you.”

 

Chat Noir winced, and walked towards the front door, stopping just in front of it.

 

“That’s not a bad thing.”

 

———

 

As soon as he stepped outside, the bright harshness on the world making him squint, it felt like all the air had rushed out of him. Had he _really_ just said that to his _father?_ Years and _years_ of bottled up emotions and he finally let them out. 

 

Adrien Agreste let himself bask in the feeling for a while, before catching sight of a small red thing floating in his peripheral vision. 

 

“Hello Tikki,” he greeted softly. 

 

The small kwami landed on his shoulder. “We have to get her back.”

 

Chat Noir sighed, not used to being by himself - Kung Food _does not count okay -_ but more than ready to get _his_ Ladybug back. 

 

He placed his pole on the ground and shot up into the air, running across the tiled rooftops of Paris with a heart of lead. Stopping once he reached the Eiffel Tower, Chat Noir stopped for a moment to appreciate the irony at it all leading to _here_ of all places. 

 

Chat Noir launched himself up to the lowest bar of the Eiffel Tower, his senses stretched out as far as they would go. Being on the lowest bar left room to attack _everywhere_ and he didn’t like it. 

 

He climbed higher, keeping one eye out for ‘Ladybug’ as he went, worry eating away at his insides. Everything about this felt _off_ and _wrong -_ it was so _very very wrong_ that Chat Noir had to fight Ladybug, it was _so incredibly wrong_ that Ladybug - that _Marinette -_ got akumatized in the first place!

 

They were supposed to be the dream team, the dynamic duo that couldn’t be defeated and yet here they were. 

 

Where it all began. Where Adrien first transformed into Chat Noir, where they revealed who they were, it all came down to here. 

 

The Eiffel Tower. The one battle Chat _never_ wanted to fight. He was getting _his_ Ladybug back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Phew! I’m really sorry about super-OOC Adrien back then… I… I don’t even have a good excuse. 
> 
> Please tell me what you thought, my mistakes and if there are any prompts weighing on your mind feel free to drop them my way!
> 
> As always,
> 
> Thornsword.


	19. Scream

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m done. And tired. I’ll put a description here tomorrow. I hate everything. 
> 
> (Harmonia Axyridis is a kind of asian ladybug and it’s a total pest - like it bites and stinks and it’s generally horrible)

_The Eiffel Tower. The one battle Chat never wanted to fight. He was getting his Ladybug back._

 

“Eh? So you actually showed up?” a jeering voice echoed, “You really are a helpless kitty, aren’t you?”

 

Chat Noir stayed quiet, senses heightened and stretched paper-thin. The skin under his suit prickled like he had pins and needles. 

 

Laughter resounded throughout the structure, harsh and cruel and _so very sad._ “Cat got your tongue?”

 

“Come out where I can see you, then we’ll see who the cat’s got,” he retorted. Not his best, but the fact that he could say anything amazed him.

 

“The _Chat,”_ he heard her say, voice breaking, “hasn’t got anyone. Not even _poor little Marinette.”_

 

Rage built up inside Adrien like lava in an active volcano. That _thing_ was using Marinette’s voice, Marinette’s body and despite what it was making her say, everything in Chat told him she was crying. 

 

“What are we going to do?” a small, timid voice asked next to him. 

 

He whipped his head around in surprise. “Tikki!” he exclaimed, “how can we get her back to normal? She’s the only one that can purify the akuma!”

 

“I… I don’t know.”

 

Something inside Chat - inside _Adrien -_ dropped. 

 

“No. No we can do _something -_ we _have_ to!”

 

Cold laughter rang in his ears. “As much as I like to hear you cry, I’m on a tight schedule.”

 

Tight schedule? What could _possibly_ be rushing her?

 

“Whenever you’re ready princ- _akuma,”_ he corrected, “you’re the one hiding.”

 

“Am I?” 

 

The words were spoken right next to his ear, and he heard them with unbearable clarity - the scratchy quality to it, the hopelessness that had been put into them and the _complete_ and _utter_ sorrow he could feel radiating off her. 

 

Instinctively, Chat Noir swung an arm out behind him, spinning on his heel and the lack of impact almost making him loose his balance. Nothing was behind him but open air, and the lights of Paris that didn’t seem as welcoming as they once had. 

 

“Oh? You missed?”

 

He looked up - she was poised upside-down, feet flat against the string of her yo-yo, which was tethered to something Chat couldn’t see. 

 

She was smirking, purple lips curled into a mocking imitation of the smile he knew so well. 

 

It was so very wrong. 

 

“I won’t next time,” he promised, and her eyes widened in glee. 

 

“Oh well done! That’s a real _hero_ line!” she giggled, “I’m almost impressed… it can’t be helped I suppose, you’re just the _sidekick_ after all.”

 

“No I’m not,” he contradicted calmly, much to her surprise. 

 

She tilted her head. “You are?”

 

“Nope - Ladybug may make the plans, but we’re a team,” he told her, spinning his staff around with fake nonchalance, “we need each other.”

 

“Hmm… that’s not what Marinette thinks.”

 

“Yes it is.”

 

She looked surprised, as if she expected him to fall to the ground screaming _I’m not the sidekick! I’m not I’m not!_ in desperate denial. Chat Noir had known from the very beginning that they were equals, a team, but that certainly hadn’t stopped Ladybug - or _Marinette,_ for that matter - remind him that she wouldn’t be able to purify the akuma without him, and he wouldn’t be able to…

 

_She wouldn’t be able to purify the akuma without him…_

 

_Without him…_

 

_That’s it!_

 

He thought back to what had happened at his house - the akuma, which is usually inside an item or clothing or something, went straight into her _skin,_ so that must mean the akuma is acting like a protective layer, trapping her and enslaving her at the same time. 

 

“You’ve gone quiet _Kitty,”_ she hummed, “what’s the matter?”

 

Chat Noir smirked and swung his staff out, and this time the blow landed right on her ribs. He winced. It was a horrible feeling, that grim satisfaction of his plan, the sharp _thwak_ of metal on her suit, but he wouldn’t have to do it for much longer.

 

_It’s going to be okay,_ he told himself, _If I could just run the idea by Tikki…_

 

“Too slow!” she yelled, launching her yo-yo out to hit him right between the eyes. Pain exploded in his forehead and he stepped backwards. 

 

They darted around the Eiffel Tower for what seemed like forever, the manic laughter of that _thing_ using Ladybug’s voice echoing in his ears as the clang of metal on metal and yells as each of them landed blows rang through the air. 

 

“Please tell me you have a plan,” Tikki whispered in his ear after a while.

 

(Fifteen minutes? Two? _And hour??_ Chat Noir didn’t know - all he could tell was his bones were heavy and his chest was heaving and his heart ached like it was bleeding through his ribs.)

 

“The akuma - it’s possessing her skin right?” he replied just as softly, “what if I use cataclysm?”

 

_“Here kitty kitty kitty!”_

 

They froze. He had found a hiding place in the top of the immense structure, wedged between a beam and the wall of the restaurant. He had to catch his breath. 

 

“Are you kidding?” Tikki hissed, “if you use cataclysm _on her face_ she’ll be destroyed!”

 

“Well what else could I do?!” he retorted - _this is why I don’t come up with the plans…_

 

The red kwami thought for a moment. “Her earrings!” she gasped, “they don’t have spots on them do they?”

 

Chat shook his head. 

 

“If you could somehow get her to say _‘transform me’-“_

 

“You could get her back to normal?!” he exclaimed, before snapping his mouth shut and covering it with his hands. 

 

Bright green eyes stared out into the red-tinged darkness. She _had_ to have heard him this time. It wouldn’t be long before-

 

The restaurant wall was blown open, and Chat was thrown across the floor. 

 

“Hey there Marinette,” he greeted conversationally. 

 

She scowled. “I’m not _Marinette -_ my name is _Harmonia Axyridis!”_

 

“Isn’t that just another ladybug?” Tikki whispered from behind.

 

“My bad,” he smiled, as if he hadn’t heard “so Marinette, do you remember what it was like? Transforming with an actual kwami?”

 

Not-Ladybug flinched. “I’m not _Marinette,”_ she insisted. 

 

“Oh but you are,” Chat told her, “underneath whatever the akuma has done to you, you’re Marinette. You’re Ladybug.”

 

_“I’m not!”_

 

“Ladybug, do you remember how it felt to battle- to _win_ against akumas, the very thing that’s been turning people into monsters for _years?”_

 

Harmonia Axyridis threw her hands up to her ears, trying desperately to block the sound out.

 

_“Chat…”_

 

Hope flared up inside him. That was _Marinette._ He could still bring her out!

 

“Don’t you remember,” he said pleadingly, stepping towards her, “what it was like to fly above Paris, as it’s saviour?”

 

Chat Noir took her trembling hand in his, and she let him. It was working. 

 

“What was it you used to say?”

 

Tears slowly ran down Harmonia Axyridis’ cheeks and her shoulders shook. 

 

“What was it that Marinette used to say,” he repeated gently, “before we would fight the very thing that’s making you feel like this?”

 

A pink outline flickered helplessly, framing her face sporadically with pink light. 

 

“T-Transform… me,” she whispered, before slumping down onto the floor. 

 

Hope rose in Chat Noir. He whipped his head around only to find a red blur where he expected Tikki to be. 

 

His gaze focused on Ladybug’s earrings - there was a flash of light and black spots grew on the small circles. 

 

Everything froze - Chat Noir, Ladybug, _time itself._ It all stopped, and a silence hung in the air like a breath cut short. 

 

Ladybug’s gaze flitted to match Chat Noir’s and in that split second he dispaired. It hadn’t worked. She was never coming back. All those memories, everything that had happened meant nothing now. Cold terror crept up his spine and an overwhelming sadness grew in his stomach.

 

All in a split second. 

 

Before he knew it, that terrifying split second was over. 

 

Time unfroze-

 

_It’s over she’s never coming back_

 

-And Ladybug _screamed._


	20. Ladybug and Chat Noir

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Summary: Chat Noir didn’t know what to do - he just felt so helpless. Ladybug was… was not ladybug and Tikki wasn’t here anymore and all he wants to do is give up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Helloooo
> 
>  
> 
> So I realise that it’s been fucking ages - sorry!!
> 
>  
> 
> Word count: 1030
> 
>  
> 
> Warnings: OOC-ness and mild violence
> 
>  
> 
> Disclaimer: I don’t own miraculous ladybug
> 
>  
> 
> Enjoy!
> 
>  
> 
> ———

 

 

_Time unfroze-_

 

_It’s over she’s never coming back_

 

_-And Ladybug screamed._

 

Chat didn't know what to do - what _could_ he do? So he just stood there - _helplessly -_ as Ladybug _screamed_ and _screamed and screamed._

 

The sound grated against his ears and chilled his heart to the core. she was screaming as if there was nothing else she was capable of - as if her entire essence had been condensed into this one exhalation of _pain_ and _desolation._

 

Ladybug sunk to her knees, tears streaming down her face like rain and jaw unhinged to make way for the endless, horrible scream. 

 

The purple gooey bubbles that took away the akuma transformation flashed around her ankles, then her arms. Spots of purple and black mixing in with the off-red of her suit. Chat Noir backed up against a beam, staring unblinkingly at the scene before him. 

 

The movement must have caught her eye because suddenly - _he didn’t even see her coming -_ there was a tightness around his throat, crushing his airway and it took him a moment to realise it was Harmonia Axyridis’ -or Ladybug’s -or Marinette’s _he just didn’t know anymore._

 

She had a crazed look in her eye - the outer irises flaring purple every so often and he was sure he could see more white than eye. Chat Noir’s heart lurched. Her mouth was pulled into a grimace, full of clenched teeth and desperate determination. 

 

“What… what do I do?” she whispered, so softly he almost couldn’t hear. 

 

A pink outline flickered around her face like a dying flashlight. 

 

“The Miraculous…” she murmured, her stare glazing over. 

 

Chat couldn’t breathe. His mouth was opening and closing like a fish out of water but she took no notice, just staring at a spot just above his head with a wistful almost-smile. 

 

She shook her head, wistful look disappearing. She looked at Chat Noir and then her hand around his neck like she couldn’t make the connection, then, she drew her arm back like it was burnt and shuffled away, staring at her partner in horror. 

 

Chat hit the iron floor on his hands and knees, taking in a deep, shuddering breath before falling into a coughing fit. Never had he been so glad to just _breathe._ He righted himself so that his back was up against the iron beam and he was staring at the girl he was sure - _it had to be -_ Ladybug.

 

“I’m sorry… I’m sorry,” she was whimpering, grasping her hand and staring at Chat Noir with horrified eyes. 

 

He opened his mouth to say something, then closed it. She was shaking - trembling, even. His lungs burned like boiling water had been poured down his throat. 

 

Ladybug collapsed, hands fisted in her hair and he didn’t know if she was Ladybug anymore. 

 

_Why isn’t it working Tikki said it would work!_

 

He wanted to scream, but he had heard enough for a lifetime. He wanted to cry, but he had no more tears left. He wanted to give up, but there was no way he would. Ever. 

 

“Ladybug…” he ventured, crawling slowly towards her. Foot first, then hand, languidly, slowly towards her. 

 

Her head jerked like she’d been tased. Purple eyes filled with tears turned to meet his gaze. Fear was radiating off her and he couldn’t help but let the anxiousness bubble over for a second. 

 

Only a second. 

 

A second of worry, fear, anger, desperation and sorrow-

 

And then he stopped. He stopped and used his head, instead of letting his heart determine his actions. 

 

The girl in front of him was a mix of both Harmonia Axyridis and Ladybug, and seeing as Ladybug was still in there, there had to be a way he could save her.

 

Then she looked at him. She looked at him with such _agonising_ hopelessness that all his resolve crumbled. Neither of them knew what to do. 

 

So he did the only thing he could - he crawled closer to her, ignoring the twitches and jerks and glares she threw his way in between the tears and the soft smiles and their tightly woven fingers. He wrapped an arm around her and pulled her towards him until they were a tangled mess of limbs, looking out at the shimmering lights like they had so many times before. 

 

Chat Noir let go of her hand to tace her jawline lightly, staring at her pale lips and refusing to meet those purple eyes. Ladybug leaned up slowly and pressed their lips together, slowly, as if they had all the time in the world despite knowing they didn’t. 

 

It was only a matter of time before Harmonia Axyridis came back to haunt them. 

 

Ladybug pulled away and Chat Noir’s heart dropped to his feet. He was out of ideas. If Ladybug was gone then-

 

Suddenly they were kissing again. He pulled away - albeit reluctantly - and stared at her. 

 

She smiled, cobalt blur eyes flashing in the city lights. 

 

She _smiled._ Her eyes were _blue._

 

“You… what?” he gaped, unable to form coherent sentences. 

 

“It makes sense I guess,” she said without answering his question, “I mean, I did stop you from being akumatized once by kissing you, but that was mainly because the villain was centred around love I think? Maybe Tikki did something? What if Hawkmoth’s powers aren’t as good for people who wield the miraculouses? What if-”

 

Chat Noir wrapped his arms around her neck and kissed her. He didn’t care about the reason. He just cared that she was back. 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ———
> 
> Yes I realise what I just wrote is thE BIGGEST CLICHE EVER and I’m sorry to all those who saw it a mile away -__-
> 
>  
> 
> Thank you for reading all the way to the end and please tell me what you thought!
> 
>  
> 
> As always,
> 
>  
> 
> Thornsword

**Author's Note:**

> Who doesn’t know how to write endings? Me. (I’m sorry)
> 
> Thank you for sitting through that, please tell me what you think and I apologise for any mistakes ^__^
> 
> As always, 
> 
> Thornsword


End file.
